


Prince of the Republic

by AnakinBun



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Prequel Trilogy, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Adopted Children, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, Happy Ending, Manipulative Sheev Palpatine, Mental Health Issues, Politics
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-13
Updated: 2021-03-13
Packaged: 2021-03-13 17:55:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 27,286
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29405853
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AnakinBun/pseuds/AnakinBun
Summary: The Galactic Republic is on the verge of a civil war! Anakin Skywalker, the adopted son of Chancellor Palpatine and a recent graduate from a military academy, has returned to Coruscant with a special mission from his father.In the meantime, the Jedi Order is facing challenges on ethical grounds.
Relationships: Obi-Wan Kenobi & Anakin Skywalker, Padmé Amidala/Anakin Skywalker, Padmé Amidala/Darth Vader, Sheev Palpatine | Darth Sidious & Anakin Skywalker | Darth Vader
Comments: 62
Kudos: 70





	1. Into the Jedi Temple

**Author's Note:**

> [Redrikki](address%20to%20my%20account) is a wonderful beta reviewer.

***1***

After a long walk in the Coruscant lower level, Rackeli Loo finally arrived home. The air conditioning in her room had stopped working, but she did not have the funds to fix it. To her relief, the hot and humid season was ending soon.

Rackeli was a Twi'lek from a small world, Tethla, which sat at the boundary of the Mid and Outer Rim. Her world had joined the Republic 20 years ago, and she had been born in the same year. 

Today, she had an important task: find a way to get into the Jedi Temple. One week ago, she had made a promise to a pair of parents who had surrendered their force-sensitive youngling to the Order. The parents, Mr. and Mrs. Sha, were her old neighbors. After hearing some rumors claiming the Jedi “emotionally abused” the younglings, they entered into panic mode. They wanted to check in with their baby girl to see whether she was okay. 

Rackeli had a reputation for being a helpful person. As one of the handful of Tethla citizens on Coruscant, the Shas immediately contacted her. They all agreed that it would be for the best that the Shas could have a Holonet call with the child so they could know how she was doing. 

She remembered the sweet little girl Ludi. People in her town threw a party when the Jedi Master came to take Ludi to the Order. At the party, Racheli had taken many pictures with the child.

“There is no emotion,” said the parents, “the Jedi Order promotes that! Isn’t that abusive?”

To be honest, she did not see that statement as abusive. The idea of Jedi being abusive was absurd. But weren’t all parents very devoted to their children? Any rumors could hit a nerve. 

She had toured the Temple district before, but had never actually been inside the Jedi Temple itself. The Jedi Order was not open to visitors without an appointment. Checking in with a youngling should be a good enough reason for a visit, so she went ahead. 

The temple guard explained that “there is no emotion” was part of the order’s fundamental philosophy. The Jedi younglings had been raised in the same way for thousands of years and they were not open to visitors. 

Rackeli was persistent. The next day she had visited again, hoping another guard may give a different answer. Maybe she would be lucky enough to meet a Jedi Knight who knew the girl. She got the same responses. 

Now she was back home. The Sha family’s message already sat in her mailbox. She replied:

> “I visited the Temple today again. I was turned away by a different temple guard. I know you are worried. My parents worry about me all the time. I am sure that there is a way to make contact, and I will try again and keep you posted.” 

She finished her message with a sign of a smiling face. Then she closed off her messenger and started to do her research. 

The Jedi Order’s presence on the Holonet was weak. A short paragraph on the Galactic Senate site mentioned Jedi answering to the Senate. Another page on the Judicial Department said the Jedi supervised judicial business. Other information was mostly the public talking about the Order. Most of the stories and comments show a great deal of admiration, which was reassuring for her. She felt better after reading them.

She noticed that she still had her work outfit on. She wore a tight business suit, a little more formal than average for an entry-level lawyer at a distinguished law firm. 

She had always dreamed of traveling to Coruscant to see the amazing things she saw on the Holonet. Her working-class family could not afford a trip, but they had afforded her a good education. She figured out her own way to Coruscant. 

As one of the best students in her college, she was accepted into an exchange program on Coruscant. Then she got herself into the law firm as an intern and stayed, becoming the first Twi'lek employee in the firm’s hundred-year history. She had made her parents and younger brother proud.

She took off her plain gray business suit and hung it in her small closet, next to several other suits. 

When she first started her job, some colleagues mistook her as a janitor. After that, she always wore a very formal business suit and pinned her name badge right in front of her chest. It was not easy for her to find a dress that suited her green skin, and these clothes were expensive. Fortunately, this type of mistake never happened again. All the efforts paid off well. 

She shared a small apartment with two roommates to save money so she could send some back to her family. Moving to an apartment on the surface was one of her goals, a smaller part of her big plan. She wanted to be a judge in a Republic High Court one day, a dream that people laughed at, but she was convinced that she would make it here as well. 

She closed the closet door and returned to her computer to do some lazy browsing. 

A breaking news alert flashed across her screen. An assassin had attacked the Senator from Naboo. The Senator’s decoy was killed, but Senator Amidala herself was safe.

Rackeli knew that Supreme Chancellor Palpatine hailed from Naboo, but who was this Senator Amidala?

***2***

Padme Amidala stood in front of the window, looking in the direction of the Jedi Temple. The Jedi Council notified her that they would send a pair of Jedi to protect her and investigate the assassination.

Amidala was no stranger to death and destruction. It did not surprise her that she was targeted after becoming a voice against the Military Creation Act. A decade ago, Naboo was devastated by the Trade Federation’s six-month occupation. She hated that the war-mongering politicians used her world’s suffering as the reason for militarization. She disagreed with them completely. 

The Confederacy of Independent Systems should be talked with, not dealt with using arms. These Outer Rim systems indeed had been neglected by the Republic and wanted a better economic future. It was an understandable cause. 

She also trusted the CIS leader Count Dooku. He had visited Naboo after the Occupation to show his support and offer his condolences. Dooku was a charismatic person with high ideals. He was once a highly regarded Jedi Master before he resigned from the Order. In Padme’s view, he was the right type of person for the Republic to negotiate with. Atrocities like the Occupation probably were less likely to happen under his leadership. 

Neither Republic and CIS’s leadership wanted violence. A standing army would send the wrong message. It would only mean more death. 

Like Cordé’s death. Pamde shivered as her blood boiled. Her devoted bodyguard’s death would be meaningless if the Military Creation Act passed. 

Pamde forced herself to attend to her senatorial duties. Many constituents called her office to check whether she was okay and demand justice for Corde. She had to respond quickly. 

The automatic door opened. Captain Gregar Typho, Amidala's head of security, entered with two people following him. 

Two Jedi. 

Obi-Wan Kenobi and a young human lady with bright red hair, his Padawan "Red" Palis. Former Padawan. Her Padawan braid was gone now. During Padme’s years as senator, the pair had been assigned to protect her a couple of times.

"Good to see you safe, Senator Amidala," said Obi-Wan. Both the Jedi bowed. 

Padme and her staff returned the same gesture. "Good to see you, Master Kenobi and Master Athia.”

"I am a Knight now, but still Red," the woman gestured at her red hair. "We’ve come here to protect you, again."

Padme invited the Jedi to the conference room, where it was quieter and the heavy traffic outside would not distract them. 

“So, they did not know that there was a decoy,” Obi-Wan mused. “They did not do their homework.”

“They used explosives in an open space with heavy traffic. It was a show of force. They not only wanted to neutralize an elected official, but also to create chaos on Coruscant.” Palis tapped her fingers on the desk. “Who do you think your enemy is?” 

“The warmongers,” Padme hissed. “I am aware that there are several new bounties on my head after I openly opposed the Military Creation Act. I will not be intimidated or silenced. I am going to talk to more colleagues to swing them to our side, the side of peace.”

“Of course. We all want peace,” Obi-wan nodded, “but your safety is the reason that the council sent us here.” 

The conference room’s door slid open. A tall young man in a dark blue uniform strode into the room. “Padme, are you okay?” 

Padme stood up immediately. 

He went right to her, holding her shoulders tightly. “I was so worried.”

“Anakin,” Padme cleared her throat, “You should be in the Judiciary building, working in front of your computer, right?” She felt embarrassed but delighted to see him come to her. She looked into his blue eyes and smiled. She pushed him away, reluctantly.

“I must protect you,” Anakin Skywalker declared. “Nothing else matters.” 

“Hey, want to compete for my client? Take a seat.” Palis pointed to the empty chair beside her. 

Anakin winked at her. Grabbing the chair, he dragged it next to Padme’s before sitting down. He favored Palis with a triumphant smirk before suddenly whipping his head around to stare at the window. 

Time seemed to slow and yet everything happened faster than Padme could follow. The Jedi sprang to their feet just as something smashed through the window. Anakin pulled her towards him as something exploded. The force of the blast knocked them both down with Anakin on top of her. Her head struck the floor and, for a second, Padme blacked out. 

She awoke to the shrieking of the security alarm. Anakin was still on top of her, covered in debris. Slowly, he sat up, shaking off his cloak. His uniform was ruined, but he did not seem to be injured. Padme breathed a sigh of relief.

The two Jedi standing, lightsabers in hand. Obi-Wan’s was a familiar blue color while Palis used a purple saber.

“It is a small missile. Master Kenobi and I force pushed it to the wall.” Palis gestured at the damage. “You need to call a maintenance person. It would be expensive work. We are pretty lucky. None of us seem to be badly hurt.”

“Anakin, you reacted quite fast. It was impressive,” Obi-Wan commented as he helped Anakin up from the floor. 

“After you survive months of bombing, there is an instinct in you. It never goes away.” Anakin bent down to offer Padme a hand. She took it, still feeling shaky.

The whole building’s security guards were now all gathering in Padme’s apartment. They fanned out into surrounding rooms, presumably looking for the bomber. 

“We must leave now and go to the Temple’s Hall of Healing. You two need to have a scan for internal bleeding,” Obi-Wan demanded. 

***3***

The visit to the Hall of Healing was short. At first, Anakin strongly argued that he did not need a medical scan, saying that if Obi-wan and Palis did not need it, then neither did he.

“We have the Force. You do not,” Palis ended this argument swiftly. 

Obi-Wan appreciated her blunt way of ending nonsense. It had been a headache to reason with these headstrong young invincibles. He had heard that the youngsters of high society shared this common trait. Anakin was the son of Chancellor Palpatine, an adopted son, to be more accurate, but another spoiled child none the less.

They had met a handful of times since the end of the Occupation of Naboo. None of these encounters had been more than a couple of hours. Obi-Wan didn’t remember the boy being anywhere near this argumentative. 

He and Palis briefed the Council on the new development, leaving Padme and Anakin in the library area.

“I think they are dating.” Palis looked back at them, smiling.

“Since when did you start this new hobby of gossiping?” Obi-wan rolled his eyes.

“A decade ago, I guess? Anakin and I have been friends since he came to Coruscant. He told me that he liked Padme, right in front of the Jedi Temple.” She gestured at the temple entrance. “It has been ten years! He is so persistent. Good for him.”

“I did not know you knew each other,” he commented mildly. 

“There are many things that you do not know, Master Jedi.” His former student grinned at him. 

Later, the Council ordered Palis to escort the Senator to her homeworld Naboo, where she could find a secure place to hide. Obi-Wan, meanwhile, would track down the assassin. It would be a difficult task since Padme wanted a strong presence on Coruscant to swing the votes. Palis suggested that she talk to Senator Bail Organa to persuade Padme to put her own safety first. Obi-Wan did not envy her the task. Studying the scenes of the explosions for clues would be easy by comparison. 

“Hiding on Naboo?” Anakin challenged them when they told him and Padme of the Council's plan. “Why did your Council think it was safe? One Jedi and an unarmed civilian journeying half-way across the galaxy? Anything could happen. The moment you step out of the building, you will be tracked. These criminals never act alone. A high profile assassination always uses sophisticated techniques to track down the target.”

“What would you suggest?” Obi-Wan found that he had a good point. He vaguely remembered that the boy went to an elite military school. It seemed that he learned something there. 

“Stay on Coruscant. Hide in the most heavily guarded place.” Anakin paused as if for dramatic effect before plowing ahead. “Here. The Jedi Temple. How could anyone get her when so many people here have the Force ?”

“And lightsabers.” Palis clapped her hands lightly. “I agree with him, as long as the Council approves this plan.” 

“None of you have asked my opinion.” All the eyes were on Padme now. “I do not like the idea of hiding, one way or another. I have to talk to my colleagues. Every minute is critical.”

“How about sending your surrogates? You have a team of handmaidens,” Obi-Wan suggested. 

Padme pressed her lips in a thin line as she considered. After a few seconds, she relented. 

“Time to go back to your work, Judicial Skywalker?” Obi-Wan gestured to the temple entrance. 

“I will stay with Padme.” The young man stood firm and held his head high. “I can spend some time in the Temple library and read a couple of books. That area is open to scholars, researchers, and--”

“But not open to love birds,” Palis teased.

Obi-Wan threw a hard look at her. 

“We are not dating.” Padme looked away. 

“Not formally,” Anakin added. 

Padme cleared her throat, breaking the embarrassing moment. “Anakin, you need to attend to your duties. No more fooling around.” She raised her hand to silence his protest. “We will have lunch together. Then you go back to work.” 

“We will bring Anakin’s plan to the Council and see what they think. You enjoy your nice little lunch. May the Force be with you.” Palis waved goodbye to them. 

***4***

The Jedi dining hall was located a few levels above the library level. Padme asked a youngling to give them directions. Anakin suggested that they walk there instead of taking a lift. 

Both of them walked slowly to appreciate the massive hallways, colossal pillars, and solemn statues.

“The Jedi Temple is a wonder.” Padme marveled at the surroundings.

“Yes, it truly is. I have been wondering how a reclusive religious Order found this place at the heart of galactic politics. They have been here four thousand years and become the symbol of the Republic. I find it fascinating,” he commented while looking at the statues. 

“Anakin, I didn’t know you are interested in history.” Padme laughed. 

“Jedi history. The Judicial Forces were under the Order’s supervision. I am just a Judiciary Department’s lowly new recruit,” he added dramatically. “I need to understand my overlords better. I do not want their wrath to fall on me.” 

He looked into Padme’s warm brown eyes. 

She blinked. “You are teasing me!” Then both burst into laughter. 

They arrived at the spacious dining hall. It was almost as large as the one in the Senate, but much less crowded. The customers had only a handful of options. He got himself a bantha steak, while Padme chose a vegetarian burger. When they inquired how to pay for the meal, the service person in civilian clothes told them the Order did not use credits in the Temple. The food was free for the visitors.

After the explosion, Padme changed into a grey handmaiden style dress, perfectly fitted into the Jedi theme. Leaving his ruined uniform in her apartment, Anakin only had a plain shirt on. He felt cold and out of place. Carrying the tray for both of them, he found them a table next to a window covered in bright sunlight, far away from Jedi or other visitors. 

He wanted to have the moment with her to himself.

In the past ten years, they had met several times at various social gatherings. He would say hello and Padme would proclaim that he had grown so much taller than last time they met. He would smile awkwardly. Then other guests would interrupt and lead Padme away.

He could only watch her from a distance. He had watched her interacting with dignitaries, first as Queen and later as Senator. He memorized every word of her coronation speech and the speeches addressing the devastated Naboo citizens during the war. 

He had been in despair as she dated other men. It was infuriating that he could not compete with them. She saw him as just a boy. Being away from Coruscant for his studies had been agony. 

Now, he was back. A friend of Palpatine had thrown him a small graduation party to welcome him back from Carida Academy. Most of the attendees had been Palpatine’s close allies. Padme had come, but not stayed long. 

They’d had a drink and a polite conversation. Padme had asked for his opinion about the galactic security issues. He’d briefed her on the expansion of the crime syndicates from Outer Rim into Mid Rim, the increased pirate activities, and, of course, the growing separatist movement. Padme had seemed impressed, like she’d finally seen him as grown-up.

They started to message each other. The topics had grown from strictly professional to become more and more personal. Padme told him about the worlds that she visited as a senator, the food she liked, and the culture she found interesting. 

There were so many things that he wanted to tell her, so many feelings to share, but these words and memories had to be buried. The galaxy was on the verge of a change. It would end the thousands of years of decay and transform it into something more significant. His Master had foreseen it. Anakin had faith in his words. 

He and Palpatine looked like an average father and son, a loving parent with a reckless youngster, but they were far more than that. Anakin had pledged his loyalty to Palpatine and learned the way of the Force from him. But he had to keep his identity a secret.

He had combated brutal adversaries, sustained grave injuries, and prevailed. He mastered many abilities that were considered unnatural on the training ground of the lawless Outer Rim worlds. He had assassinated crime lords and slavers. He had burned their dens of corruption down to the ground where the Jedi had chosen to look away. 

When Palpatine called him back to Coruscant, he gladly obeyed. It surprised many people that he had landed himself a job in the Judicial Force, a law enforcement team doing the work under the command of the mighty Jedi Order. Ironically, it was what he had been doing in the past few years-doing dirty jobs that Jedi thought beneath themselves. 

Now he was here, at this cursed place, with her. It was thrilling. 

“So, your graduation ceremony will be in a month on Coruscant,” Padme said as she was cutting her burger into smaller pieces. “Tell me more about your years at the Academy. Did you make a lot of friends?”

“Only a few. You know, I am not a very social person.”

His academy years were like a re-introduction to Core World society. Carida Academy was the most prestigious military academy, dating back to the Republic’s formation. However, its influence had waned after the Republic disbanded its military and the Jedi Order ascended to power. 

Many of his classmates were from a privileged background with an ambition to quickly climb the career ladder in their planetary defense forces. He did not feel very connected with his classmates. He did not talk much, nor make trouble. He did not market himself as a member of the House of Palpatine. Skywalker was a common Outer Rim name. He never fully got rid of his Tatooine accent despite his Naboo friends and Galactic Basic tutors’ great efforts. Some of his classmates simply assumed he was just another welfare case from a backwater planet. Of course, the instructors knew the truth, but they were wise enough not to mention it. 

Using this slow time, he’d picked up a few useful skills, such as fighter and weaponry designing, and spent some time on painting and drawing skills. He found drawing schematics an effective way of meditating and connecting to the Force. 

Eventually, he found some belonging during his final semester, when the Military Creation Act started to gain traction. Some of his instructors and classmates openly lobbied for it, hoping the Academy could regain the prestige it once held. The nostalgic feeling was relatable. He contemplated joining them. Palpatine instead ordered him to stay away from the spotlight. 

After they finished their food, he showed Padme the schematic of a new fighter he designed. He was very sure Padme had little interest in it, but her pretended interests made him happy. 

“How do you feel about your new job?” 

“Do you want to know my true feeling?” He smiled mischievously and Padme grinned back 

“Very boring dead-end desk job.” He sighed exaggeratedly. “But I can spend time with you-” 

The Force shivered. 

“Senator Amidala, the High Council approved the plan that you will remain in the Jedi Temple during the investigation,” a bold human Jedi with dark skin interrupted them. Anakin felt chills. Mace Windu, one of the most powerful Jedi on the High Council, the Jedi Order’s Swordmaster.

“We will prepare a personal quarter for your stay, and you have been assigned an assistant. She will come here to get you. ” Windu turned to Anakin sharply, “Judicial Skywalker, you must return to your duty.” 

Arguing with Windu would be playing with fire. “Yes, Sir.” He stood up. 

He smiled at Padme sadly. Surprisingly, Padme stood up to hug him. 

Anakin walked toward the entrance of the hall with Windu walking beside him.

“Skywalker, you seem very uncomfortable.” Windu looked at him with a frown. 

“Master Windu, you are a quite unnerving person.” Anakin finally let it slip through. The last time he had intensive interaction with the Jedi was a decade ago. It was before he became Sidious' student.

Everything was different now. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The story will update once or twice a week. If you like the story, I encourage you to subscribe/bookmark it and leave a comment.  
> The story title is inspired by "The Prince of Egypt"


	2. You have set things in motion

*** **1** ***

Obi-Wan and Palis thoroughly examined the two explosion sites. In Padme’s apartment, on one piece of the shrapnel, they found some cuts that could be a symbol. They already developed a habit. Whenever they needed a clue, they would go to Dexter Jettster’s diner. They paid for the meal and got the intel as a giveaway. 

Dex said the markings on the shrapnel were connected to a remote planet called Kamino. The locals profited from the business of cloning sentient beings. Things seemed to be going smoothly, but this planet could not be found in the library’s star map. 

“I am doing a search on cloning in the database. It may give way to some ideas. Maybe the planet name has a different spelling.” Palis sat down in front of a library computer.

He and Palis were not the traditional master and apprentice. She was about five years younger than him. After Master Qui-Gon Jinn’s murder at the Zabrak Sith’s hands, Obi-Wan had lived with a deep sense of regret. He was knighted for slaying the Sith Lord, but he would have rather been a Padawan under Qui-Gon instead of a Jedi Knight on his own and alone. Every morning, he went to the Room of a Thousand Fountains to meditate, trying to find peace. Instead, he found Palis Athia. 

Their relationship had started off a little rocky with an argument about murder. Palis’s old master had been expelled for killing unarmed prisoners during a peacekeeping mission. The prisoners had been criminals who had terrorized the locals, with the blood of many innocent people on their hands. Her master had believed that there had been no functioning justice system on that world to hold them accountable for their crimes. She had done what she thought was best for the people. 

There had been a heated debate on the High Council about her action. The final decision was that Palis’s master should be expelled. Considering it unfair, Palis had contemplated the idea of leaving together. She challenged Obi-Wan as to why he had been promoted for killing a Sith. If the Sith had surrendered to Obi-Wan, would killing the Sith have led to his knighthood or expulsion? Immediately, she realized that she had crossed the line and apologized. 

They’d bonded together mourning the loss of their masters. Both had wanted to escape the haunting memory of what they had lost. They reached an agreement. Obi-Wan would take Palis as his Padawan, so they would get on off-world missions together. 

He carefully observed all the proper formalities, but Palis did not care. Even when there were other Jedi around, she did not call Obi-Wan Master. “You are not her,” she told him once. Despite this, they grew to trust each other and complement each other. By the time of the bombing, Palis had already been a knight for several years, but they still frequently went on missions together. 

The computer beeped as the search completed. “Done. I got the coordinates, cross-referenced with several sources. This place is very far from here. Let us leave now,” She declared. Palis was analytical, but she could get ahead of herself at times. 

“Hold on. We need to inform Master Jocasta Nu.” Obi-Wan started to look for a librarian. “A missing star system from the Jedi database is suspicious.” 

Soon Joscata figured out that the system was erased from the database. Worse, even the record of the action itself had been erased. 

“Only a Jedi can do it.” The three of them looked at each other with uneasiness. 

“I had a very bad feeling about it.” Obi-Wan frowned. “It was a deliberate move.”

“Agreed. But there was little we could do here. Maybe we can find it out on Kamino.” 

When they arrived on Kamino, they ended up discovering more disturbing news. The Kaminoans were expecting the Jedi to come to take possession of a clone army, commissioned by the long-dead Jedi Master Sido-Dyas. Jango Fett, a Mandalorian bounty hunter, served as the template of the entire army. He had a son, an unaltered clone. He claimed that a man named Lord Tyranus had recruited him. 

Obi-Wan did some quick research on Fett and Tyranus. Fett had an infamous record even for a bounty hunter, but he could not find mention of Tyranus in any record.

“Lord Tyranus. Jango Fett. Master Sido-Dyas… a clone army. Sido-Dyas was one who secretly altered the Jedi database.” Palis said hesitantly, “Tyranus is an ominous name. Fett has no honor. It feels like a criminal gang. Maybe. Just maybe… Sido-Dyas turned rogue before he passed away. I don’t think they are up to any good.” She threw her hands up. “I was defeated. My brain is not working now.”

Obi-wan answered after a long wait. “Palis, I have to tell you. I am confused as well. Master Sido-Dyas was a radical. If he is still alive, he would be a Jedi sponsor for the Military Act. My master Qui-Gon was a good friend of his. You know the mavericks got along well. Let us not assume the worst. While you _think_ about it, I will inform the Council about all these suspicious new developments. We all need to meditate on this with the guidance of the Force.”

“You talk to the Council. I will talk to this Fett guy again. Maybe he could give us a few more clues.” Palis dashed out of the room. 

Obi-wan contacted the High Council through Holocall. The Council members were astounded by a clone army’s existence and the mysteries around its creation. None of them knew about it. Obi-wan’s heart sank even more. 

Palis returned with bad news. Fett and his son were gone. Palis found some explosive powders after she searched their room, precisely the same composition found in the explosion in Padme’s apartment. 

Immediately, they got into the fighters and located the Fett’s starship on the scanner. 

“Don’t you think we are fortunate to go this far? We found the assassin by luck,” Palis said to him through the comlink. 

“In my experience, there’s no such thing as ‘luck.' I have a feeling that we have been guided. Maybe the Force. Maybe something else,” he responded cautiously. 

“We are heading towards Geonosis. Obi-Wan, I’ve heard stories. It was a brutal world.”

An idea struck him. He must inform Padme about this army. Her opposition against the Military Creation Act was a lost cause. He keyed in Padme’s comlink number. 

*** **2** ***

_There is no emotion; there is peace._

_There is no ignorance; there is knowledge._

_There is no passion; there is serenity._

_There is no chaos; there is harmony._

_There is no death; there is the Force._

After some digging on the Holonet, Rackeli found the source of “There is no emotion” and many exciting aspects about the Jedi. The Jedi Code was eloquently written. Who did not want these good things, peace, knowledge, serenity, and harmony? Of course, with the Force, it was even better. It was _not_ a doctrine for emotional abuse. 

Yet, the Shas were still upset. When they gave Ludi to the Order, they said they wanted her to be happy and _free_. 

She understood where the concerns of Shas came from. Her homeworld’s culture valued the experience of unbridled emotions and associated them with having a real life. Passion and righteous anger were great things. 

The Jedi forbid attachment, family ties, and romantic relationships, which contradicted her culture. “If you never passionately loved, you were never truly alive.” The parents would feel sad for their children not experiencing what they valued. 

However, the bottom line was, force sensitives were different from other beings. People should respect the Jedi's expertise in raising and training these Force-sensitive younglings. It was the foundation of parents' consent to give their children to the Order, to which both she and Shas agreed. 

However, deep down, something made her feel uncertain. She could not name it yet. Writing always helped her to think things through. Thus, she started typing on her blog. 

> **Do Jedi have Freedom?**
> 
> What is freedom? The foundation of freedom is to have free will AND have different options to choose from. If either one of them is missing, the being is not truly free. 
> 
> Where does free will come from? Many believe it was a right that cannot be deprived, even if born in bondage. However, it was not always true. To exercise their free will, a being must have at least two paths to choose. Without choices, free will is an illusion. 
> 
> The Jedi Order Pursues peace, serenity, and non-attachment. All are cherishable and honorable. Many religions embrace similar philosophies. Yet, most of their members choose a faith after exploration. Alternatives were available, such as practicing other religions or practicing no religion at all.
> 
> The Jedi Order is different. They recruit children in their infancy who can not yet make decisions for themselves. It is up to the parents to consent to give their children to the Order. At the same time, they also surrender the youngling’s right to experience a different lifestyle. In an alternative world, they may choose to pursue passion, ambition, and love. All could be equally honorable. With the way that the Jedi recruit, the children may be deprived of both the choice and, worse, probably the capability to appreciate a different lifestyle even when other options are available later. 
> 
> Do the parents fully understand how their children will be raised? Or do they have to decide on something they know little about on their youngling’s behalf. 
> 
> Here I ask, do force-sensitive children enjoy full freedom? Food for thought. 

Rackeli had been occupied by work and adjustment to the new culture since she moved to Coruscant. She no longer had the luxury to write philosophical discussions anymore. Helping the Shas gave her a reason to come back to writing.

Now she felt replenished after she typed up these worlds. She reread the essay and posted it on her blog, "A lawyer from the Outer Rim,” where she wrote abstract topics as exercise. She turned off her computer and went to sleep, satisfied. 

The next day, she received quite a few comments. 

_Comment 1_ : A wordy essay. You can cut it short. Essentially, you are saying that Jedi have no freedom. It is not true. The Order is free to do whatever they want, as long as it does not infringe on others’ rights. The Jedi seem content. As far as I know, very few of them left the Order. 

_Comment 2_ : You attacked a strawman by making your own definition of freedom. In reality, no one is truly free. Young people like you are obsessed with “freedom” to the level of anarchism. 

_Comment 3_ : The Jedi Order has been the peacekeeper of the Galaxy for a thousand years. There may be some minor flaws in their recruitment process. It should not be overly criticized. 

She read through all the comments. None of them were interesting. She was disappointed. 

Then she checked the blog’s inbox. She had gotten a message. 

> I appreciate your very thoughtful writing. I am touched. The Jedi Order is not a religion. It is a governmental institution. The Senate sponsors their recruitment. Every infant has a blood test. If they are force-sensitive, the Order will visit their parents and persuade them to give their children to the Order. How easily could a parent reject a request from the Galactic Republic government? You have to factor in this in your essay.
> 
> I am curious, why are you interested in this topic?
> 
> -Skywalker 

The message was exciting. It seemed that this “Skywalker” knew something about how the Jedi Order operated. It would not hurt if she asked them a question.

> Dear Skywalker, 
> 
> Thanks for your comment. Indeed, the power imbalance between the parents and the Jedi recruiters should be factored in. The parents faced pressure. 
> 
> My friends gave their force-sensitive daughter to the Jedi Order. They are worried about their child’s emotional wellbeing. I am helping them contact the Order to check in on their child. I am looking for a way to make contact. 
> 
> You seem to know the Order well. Do you know how to contact them?
> 
> -Rackeli

Just in a few minutes Skywalker replied. 

> The Jedi define emotional wellbeing differently from the rest of the galaxy. They call it “the Jedi way.” If the parents have concerns about their child, they should file a complaint to their senator and ask the senator to forward it to the Sentient Being Rights Committee. That Committee will respond. The Jedi only answer to the Senate. 

File a complaint against the Jedi? It was unthinkable. But what other way did she have? Instead of writing a complaint, she could respectfully express her concerns on Shas family’s behalf and ask for some assistance. 

“Okay. It's worth a try.” She closed off the datapad and went off to work.

*** **3** ***

Anakin finished reading the "Jedi Freedom" post. He was way beyond feeling "touched.” 

Her blog was about his fate in an alternative time and space. Reading it, he could imagine an alternate reality in which he had been taken away by the Jedi Order at infancy. In this reality, he had unfortunately been born into slavery. But in that reality, he still would be living without freedom. In the post, the absence of choice, deprivation of individual free will, and indoctrination of generations of Force-sensitives were all eloquently written. Once again, he relived the anguish inflicted by the Jedi’s Order. Their supremacy over all Force users and persecution of the Sith for thousand years. 

From reading her post, she didn't seem to know much about the Jedi Order, but her insight was uncanny. He needed to learn more about her. 

His thoughts were interrupted by the commlink. Padme was calling. He immediately picked it up. 

“Padme, I just read a brilliant post that analyzed Jedi’s--”

“Anakin, please, I have an urgent issue. I don’t have time to listen to the Jedi analysis today.” Padme frowned. 

“Are you alright? Is the assassin after you again?” 

“Listen. I need you to contact your father. Obi-Wan just called me up. He said a clone army had been commissioned for the Republic and they are battle-ready. It is highly irregular and suspicious. He and Palis found the assassin. They were following them to Geonosis. I need to know more about Geonosis,” Padme said quickly.

“You think my father knows about Geonosis?”

“The Senate Bureau of Intelligence must have some information. I do not have the clearance for it. It takes days to request any information from SBI, but there is no time.” Padme smiled faintly. “Your father has the highest clearance. Sorry, it is not very ethical to ask for this, but I do not have other options.” 

“Because you are worried about Obi-Wan?” His face fell.

“Yes. I am worried about him and Palis, but it is much more than that. The assassin led them to discover an army. What next?” 

“I will contact my father’s aides. They will handle it. ” He was still annoyed. 

An image flashed in his head. He abandoned his work, grabbed his windbreaker, and ran out of his office. He needed to go to Padme. Now. 

The temple guards stopped him from entering. A person had to have an appointment, a work permit, a Jedi escort, or be a Jedi themselves (showing a lightsaber) to be allowed in. Honestly, he wanted to give them a lightsaber demonstration. He argued that he worked for the Judiciary Department and had an important issue to report to someone higher up (Padme). The guard reluctantly allowed him in after scanning his coded rank cylinders.

He ran directly to the library, where he could feel her in the Force. 

Padme walked out of the library door, holding her commlink projector with Palpatine’s image on top of it. He immediately invited himself into the conversation. 

“Aha, Anakin. Welcome. Your appearance is unexpected. You got into the Jedi Temple by yourself...” His master eyed him momentarily. 

“I did not use the “I am Chancellor's son” card. I convinced the guards I have an important task.” He felt uneasy. 

“Yes. You have one. I just informed Senator Amidala that Separatist leader Count Dooku and his allies were congregating on Geonosis. They were preparing a public event. Padme volunteered to talk to Dooku as a diplomat representing the Republic to clarify any misunderstanding. The word about Jedi commissioning an army is already out. To be clear, the Republic is for peace.” 

“You cannot be serious. It is too dangerous,” Anakin argued.

“Son, I understand your worry. It is why I am assigning you to go together. You have enough training to keep Padme safe. Do we agree?”

Then Papatine’s face turned to Padme. His voice was sad. “My dear girl. It is unfortunate that your opposition against the Military Creation Act was doomed to fail from the beginning. You are ten years too late. We were all kept in the dark.”

Then the Holocall ended. 

Padme grabbed Anakin’s hand. “Let us go now. We do not have much time left!” She looked into his eyes anticipatedly. 

“Let us get some gear. Dealing with Dooku is not easy.” 

*** **4** ***

They set out for Geonosis in her Senatorial yacht. Anakin piloted the ship while Padme read through all the CIS information sent by the Chancellor’s office. Anakin was quiet, which was good, though unusual. She finished all the readings in a couple of hours and started to prepare her talking points.

“Ani, I need your input about my speech. I am going to read my notes. Can you pretend that you are Count Dooku? “

“No. I cannot!” he snapped, turning to her sharply with anger in his eyes. “You are wrong to do this. This mission was too dangerous. Dooku could not be trusted. Not at all.”

“We are the official delegates of the Republic. The CIS is an independent sovereignty. We are going to have a peace talk. If they do not want to listen, then we’ll leave.” She looked straight into his blue eyes. She saw not just anger but fear as well. “You are always fearless. You are upset.” She took his hands and squeezed them. 

Anakin turned away, looking into the swirling depths of hyperspace. His hands were cold. “I just have a real bad feeling, that is all.You practice your talk. I will listen.”

She stood up from her co-pilot seat and recited some of the prepared lines. Through it all, Anakin continued to gaze out at nothing, his eyes unfocused. Nonetheless, he gave some comments and applauded half-heartedly when she finished. 

“You do not trust Dooku. You think the CIS is doing evil. I get it. Still, I think we should give it a try. Don’t all the beings in the Galaxy deserve peace and prosperity? I had a long conversation with Dooku when I was still the Queen. I saw his point. There are worlds the Republic probably will never be able to take care of, like your homeworld. Some Republic worlds seceded. It was our loss, but it is their choice as long as the Republic and CIS stay friendly. It could be a win-win situation.”

“It is...not that simple. Somehow the Jedi commissioned an army, and Dooku once was a Jedi. I don’t know. I don’t want to talk about it.” He stood up and left the cockpit. 

He returned a few minutes later, carrying some food, a bottle of Nubian champagne, and two glasses. “Sorry, I am not myself today. I did not sleep well. Not in a good mood.” He managed a smile. “We should eat, have a drink, and sleep, and face the separatists tomorrow.” 

Padme picked up the wine bottle and filled the glasses. She held the glass high. "We will succeed. Let us have faith in it." 

*** **5** ***

It was not a bad feeling, but a Force vision. He saw a Mandalorian shoot Padme, presumably the assassin Obi-Wan was tracking down. 

Her body was lying on the ground, lifeless, blood staining her dress.

That was the whole vision. His Master had the power to use Force visions to see the future and advise his moves. Anakin's visions were always harbingers of death and destruction. He drew upon the Force to meditate. He felt nothing but desperation. 

Dooku was behind all of this.

He would be thrilled to confront Dooku. To end his treacherous life, but not with Padme there. After Sidious showed Dooku the real way of the Force, he betrayed them and started the Separatist movement, weakening the Republic. Now the Jedi had an army. Threats kept multiplying. If he were honest to himself, he would admit he was upset. However, he would leave issues of such grand significance to his Master to handle. 

Right now, he had to handle the immediate threat by himself. He must save Padme's life. It was foolish of her to sign up for this death trip.

He blanketed himself in the Force and hoped sleep could come to him.

He stayed awake until he heard Padme used the fresher. 

“Ani, I hope you slept well. Time to prepare for our arrival.” Padme wandered into his quarters in a silky nightdress. It immediately sharpened his mind. 

“I am okay.” He got out of the bed. He still had his blanket wrapped around him.

“You still feel cold in space after all these years?” 

He nodded. Actually, he felt even colder after he learned the way of the Force. Sometimes, the chill was deep in his bone, like frost was biting, but the pain gave him focus. 

“You should take your blaster with you, just in case.” Anakin chose a tight-fitting black jacket and put on a grey cloak with golden embroidery to show his status as a Naboo noble. Padme went back to her room and came out with a very formal senatorial gown. 

“I picked a dress that had embedded materials that can resist blaster shots. I listened to your expert opinion.”

Padme started to do her hair. She tried to tie up all her hair into a single bun on the top, but a few threads kept falling down. “I wish Dorme was here.” 

“I can help you. Hold on.” He picked up a few pins.

“You can do hair? ” Padme looked at him with an incredulous look. 

“Yes, I helped my mother when I was little,” he said softly. 

“Sorry. I don’t mean to bring this up.” 

He simply nodded. He looked at himself in the fresher’s mirror. He looked pale. Today was like a doomed day, with the worst memories. He had searched for Shmi on Outer Rim worlds for years. When he had finally found her, she was dying. 

He was much more powerful now. The same tragedy would not replay. He would not allow it.

He piloted the ship out of hyperspace. They landed in a few minutes. 

Dooku was waiting for them in the hangar, together with a squad of battle droids similar to the type that had devastated Naboo during the occupation. 

“Welcome, Senator Amidala,” Dooku spoke with his silvery noble voice. He bowed to Padme curtly, ignoring Anakin completely.

“We’ve come here to show CIS that the Republic has a most sincere desire for peace, and we have to build a prosperous future together.” Padme bowed back and held out a hand.

Dooku did not take her hand. Instead, all the battle droids raised their blasters. 

“So, we came here in vain then,” Padme said harshly. “Anakin, we’re leaving.”

“No, not at all, my lady. You have set things in motion.” Dooku laughed. “Take them down.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you like this story, I encourage you to subscribe, bookmark, and leave a comment.  
> I will update the story once or twice a week.


	3. The Point of No Return

*** **1** ***

Anakin lunged to shield Padmie from attack. Wishing he could afford to draw his lightsaber, he instead activated a portable ray shield that he’d modified from Mandalorian gear. 

“Dooku,” Padme shouted from behind him, “you are inviting a war!” 

“Yes, with pleasure,” Dooku said with a cold smile. 

A blaster fired behind them. Anakin half-turned as he tried to deflect the bolt. Out of the corner of his eye he saw the Mandalorian bounty hunter Jango Fett raise his blaster. Time slowed. Fett fired. Anakin reached for the Force, but it wasn’t enough. Anakin wasn’t enough. Dooku intervened. The bolt penetrated the barrier he built in the Force. The shot clipped Padme across the left side of her neck and she started to go down.

“Nooo!” Anakin screamed as he reached for her. The battle droids surrounding them exploded with the force of his anger and fear. Fett dropped on to his knees, gasping.

Anakin managed to catch Padme before she could hit the ground and cradled her in his arms. She was lighter than his mother had been. He curled around her and tried not to cry. The smell of charred meat was overwhelming. 

“Ani,” Padme’s lips moved without sound. Her labored breath gurgled through the ruin of her throat. Her life force was fading. She reached for him, but her hand fell before she could touch his face. Her lips moved as she tried to say something more, but he could not make it out.

No. No. No. He could not live with this. He could not lose her. Not the same way he had lost his mother. 

“Skywalker.”

Anakin’s head snapped up. 

Dooku smiled cooly. “You can drop your pathetic disguise.” His red lightsaber burst into life.

Shaking with rage, Anakin set Padme down with all the gentleness he could muster and stepped over her. He pulled his lightsaber from where it was tucked in the small of his back and ignited it with one smooth motion. The blade was as red as his anger. 

He was on Dooku in a heartbeat with a blow that should have taken the man’s head off. Dooku parried and struck back. He was a better swordsman, more precise, but Anakin had strength, speed, and anger. He caught Dooku’s blade and a bind and bore down. 

“Ah, no longer white, I see,” Dooku said, nodding towards Anakin’s blade, as calmly as if he were discussing the weather and not fighting for his life. “Finally, your lightsaber has the right color.” He disengaged his saber with a quick yielding parry and shoved Anakin back with the Force. “Not that it will help you,” he added and blasted him with lightning. 

Big mistake. Anakin caught the energy with his blade and let it build. This was the moment he’d been waiting for. He sent his own blast of lighting down the length of his blade. The two bolts clashed with a deafening sound.

Their energy danced, intertwined, and amplified. Dooku's eyes widened. Anakin Force pushed Dooku, creating more distance between them. Dooku lifted his blade, but Anakin was faster. He thrust his lightsaber upward, blasting the lightning into the ceiling. It struck with a deafening boom which blew up half of the hangar. Debris rained down between them and Anakin used the distraction to scoop up Padme and run for the ship. 

She was still breathing, barely, but still alive. Every second was critical, but he still had time. He still had a chance. He could still save her.

*** **2** ***

A harsh wind blew across the desert of Geonosis as Obi-Wan and Palis landed. There was a reason the native Geonosians lived in their underground hives. It didn’t take the Jedi long to realize they had lost track of the Fett. Palis suggested they sneak around to collect some intel.

In their short-lived trip, they discovered a droid factory, manufacturing battle droids at their full capacity. Then they were surrounded by a group of battle droids led by Fett. 

Their lightsabers were taken away when they were brought to an interrogation room. They were locked behind a ray shield and held under charges of espionage. To their surprise, the CIS leader Count Dooku wanted to have a “conversation” with them. Despite Palis' protest, they were still being held in the ray shields when Dooku told the tale of his days after leaving the Order. 

It was not much of a conversation, more a Dooku's monologue. He delivered a passionate speech on why the Republic was beyond hope. Any attempt to reform it from within would be in vain. The corruption ran deep. The only way to end the corruption was to starve the monstrous bureaucracy to death by every world leaving and joining CIS. Lastly, he invited them to leave the Jedi order to follow him since they were his lineage in the way of the Force through Qui-Gon. 

Palis called Dooku a mad man and rejected that she had anything to do with Dooku's lineage. That stung. Obi-Wan knew he had never quite replaced her old master, but he’d thought they had had something.

"Who is madder?” asked Dooku. “In the Republic, hundreds of senators are under the influence of a Sith Lord named Darth Sidious." 

Obi-Wan was shocked by this statement, but obviously, it was a lie. He collected himself and refuted Dooku calmly. "Your Majesty, I find your claims unbelievable. If a Sith has such influence, the Jedi Order would know already." 

Dooku didn't say anything else but left the room abruptly. A few minutes later, Obi-Wan felt a surge of darkness in the Force. Then a thunderous sound hit his eardrum. He and Palis looked at each other with horror.

Soon Dooku returned. His luxurious cape was stained with dust, his face had a few cuts and was bleeding, yet he laughed like a mad man.

"Count, what happened to your fancy clothes?" Palis taunted.

"Senator Amidala of Naboo disguised herself as an ambassador for the Republic. She brought the Chancellor's brat here to assassinate me. Skywalker used a powerful explosive. Of course, it is just a feeble antic against my power," he declared triumphantly. "Their plot has been foiled. An assassination attempt on the head of a sovereign state is an act of war."

"You! You used the Dark Side of the Force. You are a Sith, aren't you?" Palis hissed.

"Young one, you are insightful. I used the newly learned power to build the alliance, to restore security and justice. The Jedi are limited by their dogmatic ideology. They have become passive, stagnant, as rotten as the rest of the system.” He extended a hand. “Would you reconsider my invitation? "

“No. I will never join you,” Palis spat. 

“So be it.” Dooku hurled a bolt of lightning. It struck her full in the chest and sent her writhing on the ground. There truly was no hope for the man. He was indeed a Sith. 

"Count, stop it," Obi-Wan pled. "This is quite an important decision to make. Let us not rush things. I will talk sense into my apprentice."

The force of Dooku’s blast had knocked Palis' red hair free of her ponytail. It hung in disarray across her shoulders as she hauled herself up from the floor. Her expression was haunted. 

"I would like to know where you learned the power. Did you learn from the Zabrak Sith?" Obi-Wan asked curiously. 

"You will know everything after you join me,” Dooku said with a sneer.

"How about you remove the ray shield? It is rather uncomfortable. We can sit down to have a more in-depth conversation," Obi-Wan suggested. 

"I am not a fool, young Jedi. I found your lack of sincerity disgusting. Guard, take them out!” Dooku dropped his mask of civility. “Time for the execution. Today we use Jedi blood to write a new chapter for the Confederacy!"

They were put in binders and escorted out by a squad of Geonosians. 

"You scared me. I would rather die than join him," Palis whispered to him.

"Then your wishes will be fulfilled in no time." Obi-wan managed a smile. 

*** **3** ***

Anakin ignited the engine and immediately set the ship to autopilot. Padme's astromech droid R2 rolled into the cockpit. "To Coruscant," Anakin shouted to the droid.

He laid Padme on her bed, tearing frantically at her dress. Her lips were purple and he couldn’t feel her heart. He could feel her signature in the Force, but it was already going faint. 

Anakin closed his eyes as he sunk into the Force. He added his strength to hers, blending their signatures in the Force. Healing was a delicate business, but he didn’t have time for that. He poured energy into her body, willing her heart to beat and her cells to heal. Still, she remained cold and still.

He stared at her still form. She looked so much like his mother. Memory mixed with reality and, for a dizzying moment, it was as though he had fallen back in time. He had not been powerful enough to save his mother. On that day, he had mustered all the power he had, but still death had claimed her. He could still feel her final shudder as she died in his arms.

He was different now. After her death, he had studied harder, learned so much more. Grief made him stronger. He pushed the image of his dead mother away. He was stronger now. Padme would live because he willed it.

According to his studies, a Force user could heal themselves by channeling the energy of the galaxy through themselves and their midichlorians. The problem was, Padme didn’t have the midichlorians for it. Luckily, Anakin had plenty to spare. 

He sliced his wrist and held the bleeding cut to the wound on Padme's neck. The laws of nature would not stand before his power. He guided his blood, his midichlorians into her until he felt faint. The wound on her neck began to close, yet still her heart would not beat. Why? What was he doing wrong?

Life Force! She didn't have much left. He could give her his. 

Anakin pulled her up, cradling her head against his chest. Closing his eyes, he poured himself into her. His energy flowed at first, as though blocked by a dam, but all at once, it seemed to burst through. Exhaustion hit him like a tidal wave. Would he die if he poured his life into her? He didn't care.

Padme gasped in his arms. She lived! Anakin sighed with relief and let the darkness take him. 

*** **4** ***

Padme was dreaming. She had to be dreaming. She walked alone through cold and mist. Her surroundings were strange, yet they felt intimately familiar. 

A track appeared. She cautiously followed it. Voices reached out to her from the mist, calling her name. 

The mist seemed to have no end. Even as the mist grew thicker, the voices became clearer. They were her, she realized, saying words she remembered. 

“Mom, I was admitted to the Legislative Youth Program,” her nine-year-old self said excitedly. “One day, I will run for the highest office on Naboo.” 

“As the Princess of Theed, I promise you the corruption inherited from the previous office will stop here,” she promised the audience at her first campaign rally.

“Naboo is built by people of resilience. We will fight off the invasion, together with our Jedi protectors. We will survive and thrive!” she rallied her people during the Occupation. 

“The Republic has its problems, but I choose to believe in it,” she told Count Dooku. “We will have more good people to work in the Senate. Naboo is not leaving. I respectfully decline your invitation.” 

“You want peace and liberty. Supporting the Military Creation Act will cost you both,” she railed against militarization in the Senate. 

“As long as the Republic and CIS stay friendly, it could be a win-win situation. We will succeed. Let us have faith in it," she begged Dooku for peace. 

“My fault… Sorry… I...” she whispered, barely audible. What had she meant? Who had she been speaking to? She could not remember. 

She was tired and wanted to lay down. A river lay a few meters in front of her. There was no mist on the other side of the river. On the other side was a meadow dotted with white and yellow flowers, like the fields of her childhood on Naboo. The sunshine was bright, and the sky crystal clear. She was eager to go across the river, to leave this sad and cold misty place, to immerse herself in the eternal brightness.

“Stop, you cannot go here.” A strong hand grabbed her small hand. “Don’t go here. I do not allow it.” A tall figure with a familiar voice held her, but she could not see his face. 

They started to dance, holding hands. He leaned down until their foreheads touched. Together they spun and twirled. The mist, stream, and meadows all disappeared. They danced among the stars. 

Now she could see his face. It was Anakin, but something was different. His eyes were golden, but still it was Anakin. She cupped his face and smiled. "I meant to tell you. I love you.” 

He smiled and they danced on and on. It seemed like they might dance forever, but suddenly Anakin was gone.

Padme woke up with a start. Her head and chest ached and her breath burned in her throat. It took every ounce of strength to open her eyes. She lay on her bed in her starship’s quarters. The last thing she remembered, she had been yelling at Dooku.

She was only wearing her undershirt. Why? What had happened? Anakin was lying on the ground, fully clothed. His body trembled, and his eyebrows furrowed in pain.

“Master, I beg you,” he mumbled as if in delirium. “Please do not sell my mother away. She is all that I have. I will work harder in the shop.” 

“Anakin!” She scrambled off the bed and shook his shoulder. “Wake up!” 

He slowly opened his eyes. Blue eyes, not gold. He breathed rapidly. Sweat dripped down his forehead. He lay still for a long moment, blinking up at her.

“Padme, you are alright!” He lunged for her, bursting into tears. "You were shot! I gave you some bacta." 

“I feel really sore and tired.” She looked at him, concerned, “Are you okay? You had a nightmare. You were shouting.”

Anakin’s smile froze. “What did I say?” 

“You begged someone not to sell your mother away,” she answered cautiously. 

“That is all of it?” he asked with slightly narrowed eyes. 

She nodded. Anakin’s face softened. 

“Ani, about you and your mother. There is more than what you told me, right?" she tried to help him up but they ended up both falling on the ground. 

“Well,” Anakin said, laying back, “I told you that I grew up in extreme poverty. My mother was kidnapped, and gone. I was lucky. Then-Senator Palpatine was visiting Tatooine. He adopted me. Those were all true. ” He played with her hands and looked down. “Except… I was a slave. Both my mother and I were slaves.” He shook his head. “I cannot talk about it anymore. Don’t tell anyone, and don’t pity me.” 

It was like a knife to her heart. She wept. 

“I said, don’t pity me.” He bit his lip. 

“No. I didn't pity you. I loathe that I know so little about you. I am a failure.” She made a half-hearted attempt to wipe away her tears. “I had a strange dream. In the dream, I think...I was dead. I heard myself speaking on different occasions—all political stuff, eloquent, assertive, and inspiring, but I do not have anything outside my political career. Nothing left for myself. I was so close to death.” She hesitated. “I want you to know, Anakin, I love you.“

The next moment, Anakin’s lips were on hers. They kissed each other’s cheeks, nose, and forehead. 

“Can you stay here with me?” Padme asked. She gestured to the empty space on her bed. 

Anakin took off his jacket. They wrapped themselves under blankets. She had a strong feeling that they were connected. They had bonded in a way she did not understand. Holding hands, they fell into a comfortable silence. 

“I want to know you more,” she whispered. “Does your name have any special meaning?”

“In Tatooinian, Anakin meant _hope_.” He cradled her in his arms. 

*** **5** ***

Palis stared at the beast that was trying to bite her right hand off. She gently touched its presence in the Force. They clicked, then connected. She had a good feeling. She may survive this. If she survived, she wanted nothing to do with the war or the Sith Lord.

Under her guidance, the Acklay precisely sliced through her binders, freeing her from the pillar that she was tied to. She directed her beast to attack the Nexu was attacking Obi-Wan.

A massive wave of Battle droids marched towards them. Gunships roared overhead. She looked behind her back. Lightsabers of green and blue flashed amongst the mechanical hordes. Jedi had arrived, but not just the Jedi. Soldiers in shining white armor charged the droids—the Clone Army.

The battle didn't last long. More than a dozen Jedi lost their lives. They’d come here to rescue Obi-Wan and her. Both of them survived, though not unscathed. They would recover soon after a few days in the Hall of Healing. 

She’d lost her lightsaber. It had been unique, light purple in color. Master Windu's had a much deeper color. Master Windu and Master Yoda tried to capture the Sith Lord Dooku. Unfortunately, he escaped. Maybe Obi-Wan should have fought him. After all, Sith was his specialty.

Now they sat in the Room of a Thousand Fountains, side by side. 

"I think what Dooku said could be true. A Sith may be working inside the Republic... They could be allies or possibly rivals," She told Obi-Wan.

"The Sith always lie to sow doubt, to divide. It is their nature. You emphasize "thinking" too much. Force will guide us to find the truth.” He looked into her eyes. “Palis, you are a very talented Jedi. I am very proud of you. Meditation is your weakness. You need to work on it, especially when the Dark Side is clouding our judgment.”

"I don't feel Force has told me anything. I almost never have. To be a responsible Jedi, I do whatever I can," She responded sadly. "We just found out Dooku was a Sith a few days ago. He is leading thousands of star systems to fight against us. Did the Council know anything about it? "

"Yes and No. Council knew the Dark Side was strong in the CIS movement. They suspected a Sith played a hand in it, but they didn't think it was Dooku."

"He once was a Jedi Master," she said with disdain. "Now totally twisted and mad." 

"You do have a point. The Council didn't know about Dooku. Possibly, a Sith could influence the Senate from afar. Thus it was under Council's radar." He pinched his nose bridge.

"Maybe they are working in the Senate? Maybe they are lobbyists? Powerful corporate interests?" She struggled to list all the options. "Just consider the possibility."

"I will inform the Council of your ideas," Obi-Wan said seriously. 

"Obi-Wan, about another issue." She had been mulling over it since Geonosis and decided today was the day to bring it up. "I am thinking about leaving the Order. "

"What? You can't be serious about this! " He looked at her with a hurt expression. "What brings this up? Dooku's speech?" 

"Of course not! I have nothing to do with that mad man!" She said sharply. "It was my own idea. I started to think about it ten years ago. Aren't we peacekeepers? Why are the Jedi serving as generals sent to the war? I thought we are completely against violence, except in extreme situations. Why are we leading the war when many people other than the Jedi are so eager to lead?"

"It is the Senate decision. The Jedi answers to the Senate." Obi-Wan sighed. "Also, we created the Clone Army after all. We have an obligation to end the atrocities committed by the Sith, a fallen Jedi."

"We can refuse it! We are an organization of Faith, not the Republic war department!" she exclaimed. "Remember what we just talked about? A Sith Lord influences hundreds of Senators. It is quite a voting bloc."

Obi-Wan offered no argument, so she kept on talking. "I snuck out of the Temple to watch the Military Academy joint graduation ceremony. Graduates from institutions all over the Galaxy gathered. They spoke passionately. All committed their life to the Republic. Anakin Skywalker spoke. A terse but powerful speech. He did not look well, not at all." 

She recounted his message. "He talked about his training in Carida, then the mission to Geonosis. How Dooku's man attacked Padme unprovoked. He and his fellow officers would fight against any enemy until justice and orders are restored. Just think about it. He and Padme survived, facing a Sith Lord! Isn't it impressive? These military officers can do it!"

"It was more than that,” Obi-Wan said. “I heard from the Chancellor directly. Anakin will take some time to rest, to regain his health before he heads to any battle." Obi-Wan stroked his beard. "Now, back to your idea of leaving. Honestly, I am disappointed. You can't walk away from your duty, run away from who you are. We all have sworn our allegiance to the Order, to the Republic."

"Why don't you get it?” She threw her hands in the air but quickly collected herself and spoke with a softer voice. "I am a misfit in the Order. You can't deny it! I am _not_ strong in the way of the Force. I keep on using other methods to compensate, to look normal. Actually, I found myself more normal outside the Temple. People just treat me as another regular folk. See. I dyed my hair red. The Masters called it vanity. Why do they have to make such a big deal out of it?"

"I am sorry to hear that you feel that way." Obi-Wan looked at her sympathetically. "No one is a perfect fit in the Order. We all have struggles, but this is our family. We go through tough times together."

"Anyway, I don't want to be part of the war. Senate, Council, Will of Force... Which is which? How was the decision made? The logic was muddy. I am confused."

"If it is your final decision. I respect that, and I will miss you. Palis," Obi-Wan begged, "please put more thoughts into this. You can't turn back after you leave. There is a Sith Lord outside. He may be interested in you."

"I had enough of the Force. No motivation to learn anything new. I will think about what to do next." She smiled to herself. "The galaxy is big. I will contribute to the Republic in many other ways." 

*** **6** ***

The war has started. The cadets’ graduation was quite an event, like a ceremony for a new era—a grand demonstration of loyalty and patriotism. 

It was interesting that the Chancellor's son was also a Skywalker. A funny coincidence. Out of curiosity, Rackeli looked in Senator Amidala's profile. She was on that Sentient Being Rights Committee, in which she played a minor role. Rackeli had sent out her "Concerned Parents" letter to her system's senator, waiting for a response. Probably it would take a long time. The war demanded everyone’s attention. She was sure that a request of checking in on a Jedi youngling had the lowest priority. 

But it was the top priority for Shas. The Jedi sent children to war with the adult teachers, claiming it was part of the training. Shas were appalled by this. Child soldiers, they called it. Their baby didn't sign up for this. In their eyes, it was textbook child abuse. 

Rackeli found she couldn't disagree with them. 

What to do next? She decided to message Skywalker. He seemed to know the way the Senate works.

A week later, Skywalker replied. 

"The staff from the Committee will reply to you. AS."

She was astounded by his initials. It could be a coincidence, but maybe she was talking to Palpatine’s son. 

“Are you Anakin Skywalker?” She sent out the message after hesitation. 

A few moments later. The comm-link beeped. 

“Yes.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you like this story, please subscribe and bookmark it. Comments are most welcome!  
> Thank Redrikki for her amazing editing on the action scenes!


	4. A New Dawn

*** **1** ***

Anakin mused over the events of the past few days. He and Padme had headed to the cadet graduation ceremony immediately after their ship had landed on Coruscant. The ceremony had little to do with celebrating the graduates. Instead, everything was about "Operation Freedom", which the public simply was already calling the "Clone War".

Anakin had been arranged to be the first speaker. He hated the attention, but he had needed to expose the atrocities the Separatists, especially the former Jedi Dooku, had committed. After he delivered the speech, which had been prepared by Padme, all his strength was gone. Even Force could not help him. After that, he isolated himself for a whole week, trying to regain strength.

Padme invited him to stay in her guest room so her staff could watch over him. Palpatine didn't summon him, so he took it as permissible. He lost much of his appetite and had a fever. He was exhausted, but could not sleep. He was agitated but had to pretend to be calm, so he drew upon the Force to keep the disguise. His insides felt like a river of lava. He vomited again and again until all he could throw up was bile. 

Padme was alive, so it was worth it. She was doing better than him, which further delighted him.

Padme worried about him. She suggested that he see a Jedi healer. Dooku had clearly used some dark magic on, she argued. Perhaps the Jedi could fix it. Of course, he rejected it. He had to recover quickly, otherwise, this awful idea would be brought up again.

To recover meant to draw upon the Cosmic Force to fill the void of Life Force. As long as a person didn't have life-threatening injuries and didn't lose the will to live, their Life Force would recover eventually. It just would take a while. If they lost too much at one time, they would die, much like bleeding to death.. Luckily, he was currently not in a life-threatening situation.

The most difficult days finally passed. He had enough strength to read his datapad and type in a few words. He saw Rackeli's message. Usually, he was adamant about learning anything related to the Jedi the second he heard about it. Today his brain was too rusted to function. 

Padme also worked fewer hours a day. She was not shy about staying in his room over the night. Her presence had a soothing effect. A piece of his Life Force flowed through her and always would. He was hers and she was his, forever. 

They started with cuddling, then making out. A few days later, Padme took the lead and they made love. It was his first time, but not hers, which bothered him a little. He enjoyed the intimacy anyway. 

He liked the way Padme pet his hair, the small sound she made, the friction of their bodies, and the endearing way she looked at him. He found her more beautiful than ever with her hair hanging loose down her back, calling his name in admiration. She was gorgeous, losing herself in the moment of ecstasy. 

Yet, he was embarrassed by his own labored breathing and heavy limbs that sent him drifting off into slumber moments after they were done. Padme, meanwhile, seemed energized, a big smile on her face. 

Padme suggested that they keep this living arrangement for the foreseeable future. He was not sure whether Palpatine would approve it. It didn't feel like the way of the Sith. He had to ask. Also, he worried about her reputation. It was not like they had just stolen a single moment and kept it a secret. Very soon, high society would know that they were living together as an unwed couple. Naboo was a traditional society. Formal Queens were held to very high standards. 

Nonetheless, all these worries could wait for another day. Again, he read Rackeli's message. He must put some pressure on this case. It would be interesting to see how things played out. Everything about the Jedi Order had the highest priority.

*** **2** ***

Palis considered her Jedi tunic before folding it and putting it away. Instead, she pulled on a bright yellow dress, along with a necklace and a white hat. She was going to pay a visit to Senator Amidala. The rumor was that Anakin had moved in. It was good that she could see both of them at the same time. They had all survived their encounters with Dooku, something worth celebrating. 

On the way to Padme's residence, she sensed a little creature following her. Turning, she spotted a silver Loth-cat watching her cautiously from beneath a bush.

"Come here, Fluffy.” Palis squatted down, extending a hand. "If you are here to see the two love birds, follow me." 

To her surprise, the Loth-cat padded out from under the bush to come to her side. It kept pace with her, following her into Padme's apartment building, into the lift, and right to Padme’s front door. 

Because Palis was not wearing her usual Jedi robes, it took some time to explain to the security guards that she was Padme's Jedi protector from a couple of weeks ago. She had no lightsaber to show because she was in a transition process to give up her Jedi status. Finally, they confirmed her identity, and let her in. 

"Take a seat. I am finishing this letter." Padme was busily typing on a datapad in the living room. Anakin was working on a golden droid. Both of them dressed casually, with a matched style.

The Loth-cat ran straight to Anakin, flopped, and rolled around next to him. 

"Okay, it seemed that I found _your_ cat." Palis chuckled.

A big grin spread across Anakin's face. He picked up the Loth-cat, and let it flop on his shoulder. "It is a cute gift. Thank you, Master Red."

"Oh no. I came here to check in on you two. Obi-Wan said he had other duties to attend to. So it’s just me today. Our protection mission...it didn't end very well." She looked at Padme apologetically. "By the way, I am ready to submit my resignation to the Order. I am leaving."

"What?" Padme discarded her datapad. "I am alright. If someone gives you a hard time, I will talk to them."

Anakin's eyes widened. He put the cat down and moved to sit next to Padme.

"No one did anything to me. I want to change lifestyles, that is it." Palis shrugged. 

"Leaving all your past behind, for a lifestyle change. The Jedi allows that?" Anakin sounded confused. "You are _free_ to walk away?"

"Yes to both of your questions. I consulted the Council of Reconciliation. Quitting was an unpopular idea. Yeah, actually was frowned upon, but it is my _choice_. They have to respect that, and they did. Obi-Wan gave his blessing, of course, reluctantly." 

She waved her hand at that cat. It sat in Anakin's lap, bright blue eyes looking at her curiously. "What will you name your cat?"

"She is a strong, independent lady. Imperius. Princess Imperius it is." He patted Imperius' smooth, silvery fur. 

"Imperius and you have matching looks!" Palis said excitedly. Anakin laughed loudly. She could hear the cat purring through the Force. An interesting cat indeed. 

"Okay, back to serious business. How are you two doing?" 

Padme said she was okay now. Anakin agreed. He looked better, still a mess though.

"I need to tell you what Dooku had told Obi-Wan and me on Geonosis. He claimed that hundreds of Republic Senators are under the influence of a Sith Lord named Darth Sidious." Anakin and Padme both lost some color on their face. "The Council decided not to release this information, but I think there is a public safety concern."

"This sounds awful." Padme shook her head. "Dooku abused my trust. Another Sith? Influence my colleagues? Does the Council believe it?" 

"Not really. Sith always lie. After I leave the Order, I will work as a journalist, covering Jedi’s war effort. I can use my talents in this way. The Jedi are reclusive and bad at public relations. I saw tons of misinformation on the Holonet about the Jedi. I am an insider. I will do them justice." Then she looked straight at Padme. "I will also investigate who this Sith Lord is. I can't let go of this idea. I need to figure this out."

"Where will you start then?" Anakin asked with some annoyance. "Why don't you start with searching your Temple? That place seems to have the highest risk."

Palis anticipated something like this would happen. Dooku turned into an enemy. His past association made the Jedi look very bad. Besides, how many people outside the Order believed the Sith existed or thought the Sith were particularly powerful and dangerous? The public probably thought that Banking Clan executives were way more powerful than any Sith.

"How about I start with you two? You met Dooku in person. Did he tell you anything?" 

"We spent like 5 minutes on that damn planet. We were assaulted by an assassin in Mandalorian armor. I killed him. We barely escaped. That is all." Anakin looked like he was going to breathe fire. "This conversation is making me very uncomfortable. Excuse me." He abruptly stood up. Imperius the cat jumped down, hissing.

"Palis, this also makes me uncomfortable." Padme smiled at her faintly. "Dooku traumatized us. Worse, assuming what he said was true, if I were Anakin, I would be really upset. A Sith controlling hundreds of senators to work against his father or even influencing his father? I can't imagine how that would feel." 

"Sorry,” Palis apologized hurriedly. “I wanted you two to be safe from this potential Sith threat. You already are the target of Dooku. I messed up, again. Believe me, I didn't mean to scare or insult you."

"I know." Padme came over and gave her a hug. "What you're doing is important work. I’m glad you have a plan for the future. Good luck. If you need anything, let me know. I will support you, Red."

Palis hugged Padme back. "Thank you! It means a lot to me. More than you can imagine."

*** **3** ***

Sheev Palpatine, the Supreme Chancellor of the Galactic Republic, sat behind his enormous desk in his residence, patiently waiting for the return of Anakin Skywalker. The stars were still twinkling in the Coruscant sky. He usually rose to work before dawn. He could feel the boy's fear and anger in the Force. 

"Master, I am back." Anakin bowed to him respectfully. “I have intel to deliver.” 

“Do you? I assumed you had a few restful nights with Padme, am I right?" Palpatine wore the fatherly smile. 

Blushing, Anakin took a seat on the far side of the desk. "We had a very good time, but there is a pressing issue. Do you remember Obi-wan Kenobi’s partner? The redhead Jedi Palis Athia. Dooku told her and Obi-Wan about _you_. He told them a Sith called Darth Sidious was influencing a few hundred Senators. This is really bad,” tapping his foot nervously. “Palis leaving the Order.” 

“Aha, to join Dooku? Did you have an interest in her?” Palpatine asked, amused. 

“No. She is weak in the Force. She left the Order to be a reporter to write Jedi propaganda.”

“You’re worried about a propagandist?” He teased. 

“Of course not. She plans to investigate Dooku’s claims about the Sith on the Republic’s side. She may even publish her investigation.” Anakin’s expressioned hardened. “If you would like me to silence her, it can be arranged.” 

“Why silence her?” Palpatine chuckled. “Her investigation deserves to be on the front page of the _Chronicle of the Republic_. What an interesting story.” 

“Master, I do not understand.” The boy looked desperate. “If she found out about us-”

“My boy, if we have wisdom, anything and everything can be used for our purpose. In time, you will understand.” 

Anakin was like a supernova in the Force when he did not hide it, full of passion, and strength. Despite all the raw power he had, he was not a great Sith material. A Sith needed to be cunning, adaptive, and able to use the circumstances to their advantage. Anakin was too straightforward. He handled everything with confrontation. A flaw to be sure, but one which could be useful. Anakin pursued sheer power and ambition, but he always sought guidance from someone higher up. Neither Maul nor Dooku had this problem. Anakin was an effective enforcer, the perfect soldier. The perfect weapon. 

His boy was different today. Sidious sensed a shift. Anakin’s Life Force was dim, so different from his usual self. Even Dooku could not do damage like this. 

“Son, tell me. You are in disarray. What reckless thing did you do? Where is your lightsaber?” 

Anakin looked away. “Destroyed. On Geonosis, I used my lightsaber to channel lightning to fight off the traitor Dooku. Padme was injured. She was dying. I gave her my Life Force to save her. I can’t lose her. I just can’t.” He winced in pain and shame. 

“You impressed me. The Sith’s power is the pathway to many things that were considered impossible. You have learned well. Still, there is much more to learn. Draw strength from the Force, and drill it into you. You command the Force to serve you, and you will recover quickly,” Sidious said fondly.

The mission went far better than he planned. Amidala’s death would have pushed Anakin further into the Dark Side. Palpatine had planned to blame the Jedi somehow. But now, the Dark Side would claim Anakin from within. 

It was time for the final touch. Darth Plagueis would scold him for breaking the Rule of Two but Darth Tyranus was already a dead man since he’d failed to kill Amidala. It would be only a matter of time to see his death become a reality.

"My boy, come close. Tell me, again, what is your dream?" Sidious looked into the boy’s blue eyes. He saw surprise, confusion, excitement, and, finally, conviction.

"The galaxy is riven with injustice. I won’t forget where I came from. I owe everything to you. I will pay back your generosity by committing myself to your teaching, my master."

"Kneel before me.” 

Anakin hesitated as if caught off guard, but he quickly bowed obediently. 

"Your service as _Sith Acolyte_ ends today. You already proved your worthiness of being my Apprentice." Anakin abruptly looked up. Sidious saw sparks and fanatics in the boy's blue eyes, he felt the Force hum with the thrill. "Good. The Force is strong with you, Anakin Skywalker. A powerful Sith Lord you will become. Henceforth, your soul is bound to mine by the Covenant of the Sith, until death does us part. You shall be known as Darth... Vader." Sidious felt the energy in the Force surge. It twisted and resonated with the dawn. A new kind of Force bond was formed between the two Lords of the Sith. 

This day would be long remembered. His treasured weapon had the Sith spirit forged in. Finally, it had a soul.

"Thank you, my Master." Vader gasped in the most reverent voice. 

He closed their distance and touched Vader’s cheek. His skin was warm and silky. The boy shivered a little and inhaled sharply under the touch. Vader was a very powerful and beautiful being. It was a blatant falsehood to claim that the Sith had no sense of aesthetic. Sidious straightened Vader’s bunched up collar. The family crest of the House of Palpatine was revealed. The symbols of a veermok, an aiwha and a zalaaca were embroidered on the light blue shirt with scarlet silk thread. 

"Lord Vader... rise." He smiled lightly. "Next time, let Senator Amidala take care of it."

Vader stood up. He hastily checked and smoothed other parts of his clothing before he sat down again. Sidious found it amusing. 

"Tell me more about you and your Padme."

"Padme,” Vader smiled dreamily. “I love her." 

"Ha. You think you love her?" Sidious scoffed. Ridiculous. "Love? You’re sure?"

"Yes, I love her. She confessed her love to me as well."

"My naive young apprentice, couples get together to benefit each other. In yours and Padme’s case, you two enjoyed each other’s company. You shared the pleasure of the flesh and that's all."

"No, I think-" Vader protested.

"Tell me, have you told her that you are a Sith?"

"No." The boy shifted his gaze aside. 

"Why not?"

"I... I can't-"

"You do not trust her. She _will_ betray you the moment she learns about your true identity. You already know this." 

"Master, you are wise." Vader sat his elbows on the edge of the desk, fingers twisted and knuckles white. "I can't tell her."

"You are unconformable with telling her who you truly are. There is nothing real between you two." He softly touched Vader’s hand. "My boy, love is an illusion, a game the weak play to delude themselves. I want you to know the truth."

Vader nodded but refused to meet Sidious' eyes. He sensed sadness. It was delightful. 

"Don't feel sorrow. You two made a great couple. I had foreseen this since you were children. I always tried to arrange situations to let you two know each other better, like the diplomatic trip to Geonosis. You two should marry if you keep on enjoying the company of each other.“

Vader’s eyes widened. "But you just said, there is no love between-"

Sidious raised a hand to forestall him. "You will need an heir in time. I abhor the idea of polluting the bloodline of the Sith with some aberrant blood. I don't care about the Rule of the Two as long as you are loyal to me."

"I will never betray you, master." Fear emerged on the boy’s gorgeous face.

"We will see. Don't let me down, Lord Vader." 

Palpatine slowly stood up and led the way towards Anakin’s old bedroom. “All the officers in the Judicial Department have been reassigned into the Navy. The GAR logistics division sent your new uniform to my residence. You can take your time to have more rest. Everyone understands, but don’t forget the Jedi are leading an army created by them in secret. We need to stay vigilant.” 

“Do you know my particular assignment, Sir?”

“Jedi Master Kenobi will lead a Star Destroyer to Christophsis. His former apprentice is leaving. He would benefit from having an _assistant_. You two know each other.”

“I am better than being an assistant to a Jedi, ” Anakin cried angrily. 

“Be patient. We will see to their downfall soon enough. One day, you can tell Padme about all your stories when the Jedi are no longer in power. ” He put his hand on his apprentice’s shoulder. “I will monitor that Darth Sidious investigation. Now go, and bring glory back to me."

Anakin bowed and left the office. Palpatine turned back to watch the morning Coruscant skyline. Now all his chess pieces were ready at the right place: the Jedi, the Senate, Darth Tyranus and Darth Vader, The Confederacy of Independent Systems, and the Galactic Republic. They would all drop down onto their knees and kiss his feet one day. He breathed in the chilling yet refreshing morning air and enjoyed the magnificent sunrise. Today was the new dawn of his rising Empire. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope this chapter gives you chills.  
> If you like this story, please subscribe, bookmark, and leave a comment!


	5. Departures

*** **1** ***

It was Palis’ last night staying in the Jedi Temple. She had officially resigned from the Order in the morning after she had been in and out of the Temple for a few days. According to her, she had been networking, applying for jobs, and interviewing on Coruscant. 

Palis sent a couple messages to him every day. Sometimes Obi-Wan gave very terse responses. He had been avoiding her because he did not know what to say. He told her that he was disappointed, which was true, but there were many more emotions which he did not know how to name. 

He decided to say some final words and ask some questions. Maybe this was his last chance. He had not said anything to Satine when he left Mandalorian with Qui-Gon, following formal protocol. He had never contacted her again. Jedi didn't allow to have attachment after all. 

He had chosen to reaffirm his commitment to the Order, which he didn't regret. But sometimes he could not help but imagine how things could have ended differently if only he had said something that day. 

Palis was different. He didn't have romantic feelings toward her, but he didn't want to spend the rest of his life contemplating how he could have been a better mentor to her. 

"What could I have done better, when I was your master?" he asked Palis as soon as she opened her door. 

"Oh, no! You were a good master. Please don't feel that way." Palis motioned him to come in. She wore comfortable pink pajamas. "I have been thinking about leaving for ten years. It started before I met you. Now it was the time. Obi-Wan, don't look at me like that. Let’s celebrate!”

"I thought after you were knighted, being granted more independence and personal space, you had already grown out of it." He looked into her green eyes.

"It is impossible for me to grow out of it.” She smiled ruefully. “It is me. Call it an accident of birth. I never truly understood the meaning of 'releasing your emotions into the Force', or 'meditating to allow the Force to guide you'. I can see where the blaster bolt is coming from in a fire fight, for sure, and I’m a good fighter, but I’ve never had a vision. So many things that are as easy as breathing for others are impossible for me. It was surprising that I was even knighted." She shook her head. "Speaking of personal space, can you help me to pack and clean the room up together?" 

"I’d be happy to," Obi-Wan said, trying to sound more cheerful than he felt. Palis wanted this to be a celebration, after all, not a sign of his failure as a mentor.

It was hard to believe the room belonged to a Jedi, or even a former one. There were boxes of various sizes scattered across the floor. Inside were wine glasses, picture frames, and decorative pillows. Obi-Wan shot her a disapproving look. 

"I know it is not the Jedi way,” Palis said with a shrug, “but they make me happy." She began emptying the contents of her wardrobe onto the bed. "If you can help me pack up the Jedi robes, bedding, and other stuff that I need to return to the Order, that would be great."

He did what she asked, sorting traditional Jedi tunics and cloaks issued by the Order’s quartermaster from more civilian attire. Her tunics had been tailored, he noted, to fit her better. A few also had some embroidery along the hems stitched in a thread so near in color to the cloth as to be nearly invisible. 

Silence fell between them. It was up to him to break it. “The decision to knight you was unanimous among the Council members. You are a rare case indeed. They meditated on it and agreed that the decision was the will of the Force. The Jedi pursue peace, serenity, harmony, and knowledge. You respected all of the principles and accomplished them well. As you said, you used other methods to compensate. How well you are connected to the Force is secondary."

Palis paused her packing, but still didn't face him. "Friends outside the Order have commented that I have a good temperament. They said I am funny and peaceful. I know other Jedi considered me aloof and arrogant. Not many Jedi like me."

"Arrogant? You have a tender soul. You care about everyone you know. Want to know what arrogance looks like? Look at the young invincibles from elite families." He put down the stuff he was packing.

"Speaking of young invincibles,” Palis said, “I upset Anakin a few days ago. I told him and Padme about Dooku's claims about Darth Sidious." She turned to face him with a troubled look.

"Why did you tell them about that? We can't confirm Dooku's claims.” Obi-Wan put a hand on his forehead. “Most likely he was lying to discredit the Republic leadership. You cannot take the word of a Sith!” He shook his head. ”They do not need to know that. It only instills fear when they have no methods to process that information. Dealing with Sith is our job."

"I realized that and apologized. I still think they should be informed so they can be safe, especially when Dooku already targeted them," she argued.

"They will be safe. Anakin is a skilled fighter. You said he is impressive. Padme upgraded her security. Chancellor Palpatine has a squadron of guards who were skilled in combating Force users trained by the Jedi. Let's talk about something else. No more Sith. Where will you stay tomorrow? I hope you are not sleeping on the street." 

“Okay,” she allowed him to change the subject. “I’m already renting an apartment in a place very close to the Senate District. A few friends will help me move.” She looked cheerful now. 

“The Senate District is very expensive. How can you afford it?” 

“I had a bank account opened by a trustworthy friend. I had some moonlight jobs when I was not on missions,” she said proudly. “I got several job offers from the Coruscant news industry to report the ongoing war and politics. I have chosen _The Republic Chronicle_. I am all set.”

“You really prepared for years. I’d heard some rumors. Is that true that you had a boyfriend and had a miscarriage?” Obi-wan asked with a frown. 

She nodded. “We broke up. It is not scandalous by a non-Jedi standard.” 

“You put yourself at the verge of being expelled. You should have spent that time on strengthening your connection to the Force, not mingling with outsiders. Too many attachments.” Obi-Wan sighed. “You cannot blame other Jedi for not liking you.” 

Palis raised an eyebrow, her way of telling Obi-Wan it was time to stop lecturing her. “I do not blame anyone, believe me. I do not blame the Order at all.”

“How about we have a drink?” She pulled out a pair of glasses and a bottle of wine. “Let me have a peaceful departure. Let us talk about things that are more interesting. Anakin got a very interesting Loth-cat,” Palis said as she poured. “She followed me into Padme’ apartment. Immediately they hooked up. I think Anakin is Force-sensitive. He can connect to animals. He also has very good reflectives. Before he left Coruscant to study, we did some podracing together. He always won.”

“Qui-Gon suggested the same thing when we were all trapped on Naboo during the Trade Federation invasion. My master was curious about everything. Sometimes I see him in you.” Obi-Wan put down the glass. “Anakin was born in Outer Rim. When he became a citizen of Naboo, he had a blood test. I looked into the results. You and Qui-Gon weren’t wrong. His midi-chlorian level was below our threshold for recruitment, but it was close. A large number of Force-sensitives are born in the Outer Rim systems. We have no way of testing them and, when we finally find them, it is usually too late. No matter how high their midi-chlorian count, they are always too old to be considered by the Order. Without the Jedi guidance, their talents are wasted.” He sighed. 

“This...attitude would not be well received from people outside the Order. I would not think that way.” Palis shook her head. “Never mind,” she muttered and took a sip of her wine. 

The conversation was getting serious again, so Obi-Wan changed course. “Anakin got a strange cat, and won some _illegal_ podraces. That was all. Anakin is not your concern. He will be my headache.” 

“You are right about that. He had a personal blog, _Podracer_ . I saw an article he pinned on his page. It criticized Jedi recruitment and implied that Jedi lack freedom of choice. It invalided my entire existence. This is partly why I decided to be a reporter. Jedi deserve more accurate coverage as you fight for the Republic in this war.” 

Obi-wan swallowed the sudden lump in his throat. Maybe he was getting emotional or maybe it was the alcohol. She wasn’t entirely abandoning them after all, but it was definitely time for him to leave. 

“I have a parting gift for you.” He put a lightsaber on the table. “Take it with you. I want you to be safe.” 

Palis closed her eyes, concentrating on the lightsaber. She used the Force to open the handle and pulled a green kyber crystal from the casing. She opened her eyes with a quick gesture and touch of the Force put it back together. With a flick of her fingers, the bright green beam burst to life. 

Obi-wan had always been amazed by how sophisticatedly she manipulated Force. However, she was almost deaf to the Cosmic Force, as if it was blocked. 

_“The crystal is the heart of the blade._

_The heart is the crystal of the Jedi._

_The Jedi is the crystal of the Force._

_The Force is the blade of the heart._

_All are intertwined: The crystal,The blade,The Jedi._

_You are one.”_

Palis recited the ancient text with reverence. Tears ran down her cheeks. “Tomorrow I will not be a Jedi any more. I cannot take the blade with me. I will take the crystal. I will remember the Order and remember you.”

“May the Force be with you, Red.” Obi-wan struggled to finish the sentence. 

“And also with you,” Palis said quietly. 

*** **2** ***

The battalion of clone soldiers and Navy service members stood ready to board the Star Destroyer _Resolute_. 

A sizable crowd of family members gathered at the hanger to bid goodbye to their loved ones. Padme and Anakin held hands, waiting for a group of reporters to take pictures of the "First Family".

Padme thought it was inappropriate for her to be included in the picture. She and Anakin were in a relationship, but they had not engaged or married yet. What’s more, as the leader of the opposition to the Military Creation Act, she didn't want to be associated with the military might. Chancellor Palpatine, though, insisted.

"It is the time for unity. We are fighting against a ruthless evil. I understand your reluctance, but we all have the duty to support the Republic in any way we can. To solidify the public support, we need to humanize the soldiers. The Republic citizens must remember their sacrifice, remember their loved ones are waiting for their return," Palpatine said softly. "My dear girl, I consider you my own daughter. You and Anakin are dating. We are a family now. We don't know how long it will take to win the campaign of Christophsis. We all need some good memories in the dark days." 

She agreed that Palpatine had a point. To win the war, they need a united front. The Separatists' droid army was already wreaking havoc in the Outer Rim. They were more prepared for the war than the Republic was. There was no room for negotiation if Separatists kept winning. She worried about Anakin. Seeing him leaving was like poking a hole in her heart.

Anakin cupped her face, then kissed her forehead. She ran her fingers through his wavy blond hair. They looked at each other, trying to carve each other's image into their souls. 

"Anakin, you must come back to me."

"I will. I promise you." He smiled confidently.

"You just graduated from the academy and it’s so dangerous out there." She stroked his cheek.

"I’ve seen far worse, my love." He kissed her hair.

Bright lights flashed. There were the paparazzi then. Padme flushed, embarrassed. She usually preferred to look more dignified on the holonet news, but decided not to care today. She wanted a few more moments with her lover.

The interview, photo and video shooting started. Palpatine gave a short speech which Padme didn't pay much attention to. They were instructed to pose in front of the clones in their shiny, white armor. Padme wondered if she looked as stiff and awkward as she felt. Palpatine hugged his son with tears in his eyes. For a second, Anakin froze as if unsure how to react. After a moment, he pulled away and saluted. 

Padme had prepared a number of personal items for Anakin: a holo display of the two of them playing with their cat Princess Imperius; a thick coat with a fur collar; and several blankets to keep him warm in the space. He always got cold in space. 

"Anakin,” Palis called, “I need you and Obi-Wan to have a picture together." She wore a light blue dress. Her hair was swept up in a crown of braids. A GAR press-pass cylinder was tied to her left wrist, indicating that she was authorized to interview military personnel. It was amazing she’d managed to establish herself so quickly. 

Obi-Wan emerged from the Star Destroyer. He wore a set of white shoulder guards and a chest guard on top of his usual Jedi robes. He walked in front of the clone battalion, instructing them to board the ship.

Anakin reluctantly moved toward Obi-Wan. 

"Closer! I want to show the Republic that Jedi, regular officers, and clone soldiers work as a team. Obi-Wan, you turn on your lightsaber. Hold it with two hands. Anakin, relax!" Palis ordered.

Anakin stood next to Obi-Wan with his hands behind his back. He looked into the distance with a serious expression. 

Padme could not help but laughed. She moved next to Palis, and blew a kiss toward him. He softened with a small smile. Palis seized the moment. 

"I hope they can get along." Palis rolled her eyes and motioned a hand to dismiss them.

The moment of departure came. The two women stood side by side, waving goodbye to their family. 

"Ms. Athia, congratulations on your smooth career transition." Palpatine joined them. "Ladies, I need to speak with you two in private." 

They moved away from the crowd with Palpatine's guards watching them from a distance.

"Anakin told me that Count Dooku claimed a Sith Lord had influence over hundreds of Republic Senators. This concerned me," Palpatine said with a tired smile. 

"Your Excellency, Dooku could be lying. The Jedi council didn't confirm it. I was not very thoughtful when I told him and Padme about this," Palis said apologetically.

"My dear, you did the right thing. If his claim is true, our democracy and safety are in grave danger. More people need to know about it," Palpatine insisted. 

"It is complicated. Except for the Jedi, almost nobody knows what the Sith are and what they are capable of doing. They disappeared a thousand years ago and only resurfaced recently. I don't think that a public announcement would be wise. People don't understand that Force stuff. The Senate committee and caucus leaders probably should take some caution," she patiently explained. "I advise you to talk to the Jedi Council. They are the experts in this area."

"Yet they didn't inform my office in the first place. I hope they can trust the Senate. We need more information to make decisions, not less," Palpatine said with sadness. "We need a free press to keep affected individuals informed. Democracy dies in darkness. What do you think, Padme?"

Padme was caught off guard. "It is a troubling issue. If not dealt well, It could cause chaos."

"You are right. As the Chancellor of the Republic, I shoulder all the responsibilities. We need to act carefully. I can't do it alone. Can I count on you two to help me with this?"

Padme nodded. She would like to do something. A Sith had invaded her home planet, another had almost killed her. However, she didn't know what to do.

"Your Excellency, I am honored, but I must consult the Jedi Council first." Palis bowed respectfully.

"I will assist you in whatever way I can." Palpatine smiled. 

*** **3** ***

After work, Rackeli scanned through the news. Almost all the major media outlets featured a picture of a navy officer saluting a teared-up Chancellor Palpatine. In the background, clone soldiers boarded a Star Destroyer with an armored Jedi supervising. This reminded her of her own family. The war in Outer Rim waged on violently. Her family on Tethla worried that the war may come to their door. His younger brother had enlisted himself the planetary defense force.

Recognizing humans in uniform was challenging, but she could recognize Anakin Skywalker easily. They’d had a brief comm call the day before his departure. In the past few days, things developed quickly. 

First, a staff member from the Sentient Being Rights Committee had called her. The staff member had said that the way the Jedi Order recruited and raised younglings was legal, something she’d never had any doubts about. Whether the Jedi allowed biological parents to visit their children was entirely up to the Order to decide. The staff member reassured her that Jedi would never abuse children. 

It was like hitting an invisible wall. The case went nowhere. The Sha family grew more concerned after seeing images of a young Twi'lek Jedi student wielding a lightsaber on the battlefront. It hit too close to home for all of them. 

The Shas acted fast. They found a few more families who shared similar concerns about their Force-sensitive children. Some of the children were not much younger than the Jedi students in these images. The parents were terrified by the possibility that one day they might find their own Jedi child had been reported dead. 

They planned to hire a lawyer to sue the Jedi Order so that they could take their children back. They asked for her opinion. 

Unfortunately, they had little legal ground to sue, and most likely they would lose. The Jedi younglings had fought by their teachers’ side for thousands of years. It did not change then. It would not change now. She messaged the recent development to Skywalker. 

“Make it illegal,” Skywalker had replied. 

Her own thoughts were on this line, but she was still surprised by this blatant statement.

The parents wanted to save their own children from war. As a student of law, amending the law to serve the unmet needs was the ideal. However, the idea of attacking the Jedi Order, which she respected, was frightening. 

But someone had to do it. She decided to be that person. Probably given enough pressure, the Order would return these children and a legislative battle would be avoided.

She had requested a comm call with Skywalker before his departure. To her surprise, he had agreed. 

Her roommate thought she was crazy. “You made a request to the Chancellor's son. Who do you think you are?”

“He was from the Outer Rim. He came to prestige because of adoption. I am nobody, but I made my own way here,” she argued back. 

Rackeli did some readings to prepare for the call, then put on her finest suit. A blue figure came to life on her comm. 

Skywalker wore a sharp black uniform. He sat at a dining table with a spacious kitchen in the background. About her age, there was a strange intensity to him and a sharp edge in his voice. 

“You know how legislation works, right? ” He went directly to the topic. “You can call me Anakin.”

She responded that she had worked as an intern in her Representative's home planet office. 

“Then you know everything, things like organizing, protesting, and all the other stuff behind closed doors. You are more an expert than me.” He studied her then shook his head. “You do not have connections on Coruscant, though. I will help you with that.”

“Why do you want to help the parents? You don’t know them. Why take on the Jedi Order? What is your motivation?” She asked bluntly. 

His eyes narrowed. He answered after a few moments. “The Jedi are holding these children without their parents consent. How can a tax-funded organization justify that?” He pressed his lips in a thin line. “Their mothers had every right to be united with their children, at any time, if they wish. The Jedi way contradicts my belief about freedom. It is a personal issue for me.”

She felt that there was more left unsaid, but decided not to press at this time. 

“I will file a lawsuit. I need media coverage,” she said cautiously. 

Anakin laughed. “I knew a person, Palis Athia. She goes under the name Red. She was a Jedi but left the Order to be a journalist. You have to contact her yourself. I cannot help you with this.”

“She left the Order. She has a grievance against her former employer?”

“No. She is very much a Jedi except wearing fancier clothes.” He tried to return to his serious expression but was unsuccessful. “I have to go now. I do not know when I will return to Coruscant. Good luck with your case.” Then he hung up. 

Since her holocall with Anakin, Rackeli spent much time researching Palis. The former Jedi’s most recent work was a photo, featuring Anakin and a Jedi, titled “Comrade in arms”. She found a fine print below “Jedi General Master Obi-wan Kenobi and his deputy, Lieutenant Commander Anakin Skywalker.” 

On this particular event, this picture was the only one that featured a Jedi as a central figure. She looked into more pictures that Palis had taken. One photo showed Padme Amidala and Anakin kissing, titled “Across the Stars.” This photo had the most hits. A bunch of reviewers commented that the couple were gorgeous together, calling them “Prince and Princess of the Republic.” Some said they wanted to marry Anakin, which amused her. She never had any romantic or sexual interests in any man or woman. People could be so different. 

She contemplated how to contact Palis. Out of nowhere, the separatist leader Count Dooku’s holoimage took control of her Holonet browser. 

“Republic Citizens, your attention please.” 

She tried to shut the video down but failed. 

“The democracy you believed is dead. I have grave news, a Sith Lord Darth Sidious, an ancient force of evil, had a stronghold on your Senate. Ask the Jedi High Council, they know it is true. The Confederacy of Independent Systems will deliver you from evil.” Dooku’s image flickered and disappeared.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This photo “Prince and Princess of the Republic.” is where the story title come from in this story.


	6. Battles of many fronts

*** **1** ***

On the way to Christophsis, Anakin was excited to be heading back into combat but frustrated to be stuck with Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi. Still suffering from his Life Force loss, he needed to deeply connect to the cosmic energy to compensate for his weaknesses. 

Hiding in plain sight was easier on Coruscant. Billions of lives' energy intertwined, blurring any single individual's signature. It was completely different when they were on an isolated Star Destroyer. If he tapped into the Force in the wrong way, he could be caught.

Now he and a Jedi were heading to a battle. Intuition told him that Jedi weren’t good at warfare, since they were indoctrinated to be peacekeepers. 

Things were different thousands of years ago. The Jedi Order almost destroyed the Sith and forced them into hiding. Probably the Jedi Order at that point deserved some respect, but no longer. The death toll from the battle of Geonosis attested to just how weak the Order had become. 

Despite the fact that Jedi and Sith were enemies, Anakin needed to ensure Kenobi's success, otherwise, his Master’s assignment would fail. He also needed to learn about the Jedi from real interactions, rather than on a philosophical level. The old saying was well said. Keep your friends close, but keep your enemies closer. 

He accompanied Obi-Wan to inspect the massive warship. It quickly became apparent that Obi-Wan was no expert in weaponry. 

Anakin spent a whole day teaching the Jedi how every part of the ship functioned. It was frustrating that the Senate had tasked a group of people who had no expertise in warfare to lead, putting the Republic in a perilous situation. Kids were commissioned to be commanders, a rank higher than Anakin held himself. 

Anakin had been a Republic citizen for a decade. He was still sometimes shocked by new waves of absurd policies that came out of this _democracy_. The Jedi leading the war was a new low. 

"Anakin, thank you for your explanations. Your knowledge was very much appreciated."

“General Kenobi, you flattered me," Anakin replied absently.

"Just Obi-wan, like old times." Obi-Wan smiled mildly at him.

"Did you mean the Naboo Occupation? It was a terrible time. I hope it will not repeat, but I’ll call you Obi-Wan if you want." He hated small talk. It didn't seem like he could get rid of Obi-Wan without a compelling reason.

"I am heading towards the situation room,” Anakin said. “I need to familiarize myself with the planetary defense system before the battle.”

"I would like to do it together with you." Obi-Wan seemed sincere. "Leave the bridge to Admiral Yularen." 

"Then be my guest," Anakin said, trying not to grit his teeth in annoyance. He was not comfortable around the Jedi. Being close to someone who was dedicated to destroying the Sith Order was not pleasant, but it was not the only reason. 

He found the way the Jedi Master carried himself annoying. Obi-wan presented himself as a charming and modest person, but Anakin knew he did not see non-Jedi as true equals. Deep down, he was still that same person who called others “pathetic lifeforms” on Naboo when he thought nobody was listening. 

Anakin forced his thoughts back to the battle. The Separatists had captured the planet Christophsis to exploit its natural resources and take advantage of strategic position. The planet had been the Republic's territory for thousands of years. He absolutely would not allow it to fall into the hands of these traitors and chaos creators.

The Separatists had held the blockade for a few weeks. They deployed a large number of warships in orbit. It was a demonstration of force to the fledgling Republic navy, trying to crush their morale. 

He and Obi-Wan spent a few hours reviewing the intel and exploring the defense system's weakness. Obi-Wan had rich knowledge about the governing system, people, culture, and biosphere, which Anakin found useful. 

Anakin quickly noted down the details of the defense shield, location of critical industries, and strategic position on the planet, trying to incorporate them into the bigger picture of the blockade. 

He needed the Force to connect the dots together. Before he had embarked on the trip, he had practiced various ways of using the Force in front of Sidious. He was rewarded with a bolt of lighting if his master detected that he was using the Force. After some burns and self-healings, he figured out a few tricks that could go undetected by another Force user.

Anakin knew it was still reckless to use the Force in front of a Jedi, but it was really tempting to use his power. He stood up, moved away from the tactical display, facing the window with hands on his back. Shutting his eyes, he tapped into the Force momentarily. He needed a brief connection with the Force to ignite the process, but his brain would complete the work itself. Then he severed the connection, stared into the sea of stars, waiting for the plan to present itself in his mind's eyes. He would create a chain effect bringing down the Separatist defense system.

He turned around to face the Jedi, ready to go back to the discussion of strategy. Obi-Wan was looking at him curiously. 

“Anakin, you looked refreshed. I mean less irritated. In a better mood." 

Mood...What was his business here? Now Anakin was irritated at this invasion of his personal space, not to mention his emotions. "I was in a good mood. Let us finish the strategic session, and you will leave me alone."

Obi-Wan was his boss. He needed to control his temper and not lose his patience if he wanted his ideas approved. 

"I can sense your emotions," Obi-Wan explained.

"Oh? What is it?" Anakin lifted an eyebrow. 

"Anger. What are you angry about?"

"Is that your business, Master Jedi?" he huffed. 

"Yes, it is. Heading towards a battle with anger is not wise. It clouds judgment, young man." Obi-Wan's voice was patient. "In Jedi's philosophy, we believe that fear leads to anger, anger leads to hate, then hate leads to suffering." 

It was all Anakin could do not to roll his eyes. Ah, the enlightened Jedi Master guiding lost souls. This was not the first time he experienced it. 

Survivors of the Occupation of Naboo who resided on Coruscant hosted a private event every year for remembrance. He’d met Obi-wan there a few times. As a youngling, Anakin had always passionately condemned the Trade Federation’s aggression, as well as the bystanders who held the power but chose to do nothing. He had not outright blamed the Jedi Order, but Obi-wan had looked at him with disapproval nonetheless. Anakin had seen the same disapproval and annoyance since they’d shipped out. It seemed it was Obi-wan’s signature response to disagreement. Anakin was sensitive enough to notice the subtle expression, and he did not like it.

"I have bypassed the stage of fear? Great," Anakin snapped back. "No. I think differently. When you endure suffering, you gain determination. What didn't kill me made me stronger. This is about survival. Anger is a natural instinct. I revel in it." 

"I am wondering why you think in that way." Obi-Wan looked at him thoughtfully.

Anakin was hit by this comment, feeling nervous. He may have said too much, but he felt compelled to defend his position further.

"Why do I think in that way? It was about how things started. I came to Naboo as a refugee. I longed for peace and safety, but I ended up in a war zone. A peaceful world was ruined by senseless cruelty. I spent days digging graves and burying bodies. My friends' dying breaths still echo within me. I will not let it go as long as my heartbeats." He made a broad gesture towards the stars outside the ship. "Sheer willpower keeps me fighting back, against atrocities like this."

"It sounds self-tormenting. I lost my Master Qui-Gon in the Occupation. Eventually, I found peace. I hope that one day you get it as well." Obi-wan quickly tapped the desk with a finger. "We need to catch up. It has been 10 years. When I met you, you were a child. Now you are assigned to be my deputy. We’d both benefit from knowing each other better. What did you do after the Occupation?"

Anakin was further agitated by Obi-Wan's patronizing words. "Is this an interview? I will answer if I get my turn." 

Obi-Wan nodded in agreement and Anakin plowed ahead. 

"I moved Coruscant to continue my education: languages, science, and politics, stuff like that. Later, I became interested in military affairs. My father thought Coruscant's luxurious lifestyle was distracting. He sent me to travel around the Galaxy to see what real life looked like, under the supervision of a few of his personal friends." He hated the fact that one of them was Dooku. At least Anakin had enough practice with this scripted version of his life story. He hated lies, but this answer was true from a certain point of view. 

"When I was old enough, I enrolled in the Academy. You know the rest of it," he finished hurriedly. "My turn. What was the reason that the Jedi Order refused to help Naboo during the Occupation? I want _your_ answer, not what the High Council dictated."

"Now I know where your grudge came from.” Obi-Wan sighed. “The Jedi are peacekeepers. Our strength is in mediating conflict, not becoming part of it. We usually do not take sides when two Republic systems have a conflict. Your father understood this. Under his leadership, the Senate coordinated with other worlds to come to Naboo's aid. The conflict resolved without further Jedi intervention."

Anakin forced himself to unclench his fist. That sounded like an excuse for incompetence, but he wanted to be fair. At least Obi-Wan and his Master hadn't abandoned Naboo. 

"I accept this answer and I appreciate yours and Qui-Gon's efforts. Don't get me wrong, though, I still believe the Jedi failed us," he declared.

Obi-Wan sighed but with some amusement. "Now both of us have our answers. You will be left alone in no time. Before you are dismissed, I want to let you know. You seem up to the challenge in this coming battle."

"Likewise," Anakin responded. Despite Obi-wan’s frustrating lecture, the Jedi had his merit.

*** **2** ***

The Senate held an emergency session on the Separatists' hijacking of the Coruscant communication network and Dooku’s statement about Sith infiltration. Padme had stayed in the conference room overnight. The incident had revealed how vulnerable the Republic's HoloNet security was. Palpatine had requested that the Jedi High Council attend the meeting to address the Sith issue.

Master Mace Windu had been the only Council member stationed in the Temple as all the others had already been sent to various battlefields. In the end, the Senate had decided that the Jedi Order would condemn Dooku’s atrocities, but downplay his identity as a Sith. After all, the public did not have knowledge in this area. 

Padme walked out of the Senate building yawning. To her surprise, a large crowd of people were gathered holding up signs. 

"Truth! No cover-up," one read. 

"Senator, are you working for the enemy?" asked another. 

"Chancellor Palpatine, we demand transparent leadership!"

Her commlink rang. The blue image of Palis showed up. 

"Padme, come to the Jedi Temple entrance. A lot of people are protesting, much more than the ones outside the Senate building." 

She looked even more exhausted than Padme herself. The protesters were shouting in the background before her image disappeared.

The crowd outside the Jedi Temple was more energized compared to the other group. They chanted words like "Dare to tell us what a Sith Lord is?", "Jedi accountability", "How many secrets have you hidden?"

Padme felt disoriented and confused. Luckily, Palis founded her quickly.

"These people are so angry. They are vicious!" Palis exclaimed, more flustered than Padme had ever seen her. "Why are people suddenly attacking the Jedi Order simply because they heard Dooku's groundless charges? Are they influenced by the Dark Side of the Force?!"

"Woah, slow down. Let us find Master Windu. He is the person to handle this situation." Padme squeezed her friend’s hand. "This is strange indeed. Why are people angrier at Jedi? Normally, people would blame the Senate, since technically we govern the Order."

"Dooku and his operatives engineered it. It is natural for Sith to target the Jedi, rather than go after politicians. Or maybe this Sidious guy is real and he wants to distract people so he won’t be discovered," Palis said with fire in her eyes.

"Have you interviewed enough people?" Padme thought Palis needed a break. It was too painfully personal for her. "Let us ask for Master Windu's opinion, then we should leave. There’s nothing new to learn here. It just will upset you more. You can write your report at my apartment."

As they readied to leave, a green-skinned Twi'lek young lady approached them. She held a sign which read "keep the children out of the war.” 

"Senator Amidala, you were against the Military Creation Act. I want to talk to you about the safety of the Jedi children on the battlefield. Some parents want their children back." She pronounced every word carefully. "I am Rackeli Loo, a lawyer representing some concerned parents. "

Padme nudged Palis. "It is exactly your topic."

Rackeli looked at Palis up and down, finally, she locked her eyes on her bright hair. "You are Red! Palis Athia, right? You write about Jedi affairs. I was advised to contact you. Are you interested in covering this story? I already sent a legal letter to the Jedi High Council."

Palis looked as if she was going to cry. "Ms. Loo, I would like to talk to you, but not today. I have to handle this thing." She gestured towards the crowd behind her.

Recheki gave them her business card and a copy of the legal letter before stepping aside to let them leave.

"A lawsuit against the Jedi Order? I had one headache, now it’s doubled! Today was worse than Geonosis!" 

"Usually, journalists would consider lawsuits good opportunities. More stories to write. You can stay neutral." Padme tried to lighten the mood.

"I am no proper journalist then. I should have stuck with Obi-Wan and fought Dooku with a lightsaber!" Palis took a snack out of her backpack. "I need to have a nice, big breakfast, then play with Anakin's Princess cat. I may feel better." She managed a sad smile. "Where are you Obi-Wan, the great negotiator?"

*** **3** ***

Obi-Wan was held in a prison cell. He had tried to fake a surrender to buy time for Anakin’s team to take down the droid army commander, but they hadn’t shown up on time. His fake surrender turned into a real one. Now he was trapped, waiting for Dooku to arrive so they could “negotiate.” As little as he was looking forward to that, he was more worried about his comrades. Why hadn’t they come as planned? Had they been captured as well or had they been killed?

He mused on the whole chain of events. The Republic had developed a novel type of cloaked ships, which was still in its experimental phase. Anakin proposed that they used it to run the blockade. 

A reckless plan.

The ship could be blown into oblivion if the cloaking device malfunctioned during the mission. And, if the pilot failed to sneak through the blockade quietly, the whole mission was doomed.

Despite Admiral Yularen's vehement opposition, Anakin had still gotten his way. He volunteered to pilot the ship, bringing a squadron of clones. They would get on starfighters after they ran through the blockade. They would abandon the ship after setting it on autopilot on a collision course with the major power generator. The ship would be used as an invisible missile to take down the power supply of the planetary defense shield. 

This segment of the plan had gone smoothly enough. From the Separatists’ perspective, the starfighters had come seemingly out of nowhere. In their effort to bring down the starfighters, the Separatists had ended up hitting several of their own ships. Anakin's team sustained heavy causality, but the planetary defense shield had been destroyed as planned. Obi-Wan had taken quick advantage of the opening, bringing down troops for the ground invasion.

He had anticipated that the campaign would last a few weeks. The first hurdle was to neutralize the countless battle droids.

The biggest weakness of a droid army was that they could be confused if the chief tactical droid was infiltrated, even if the acting general was still in charge. Obi-Wan had quickly dispatched a recon team to look for its location.

The Republic squadrons immediately stumbled into aggressive firefights against the droid army led by Kerkoiden General Whorm Loathsom. Obi-Wan’s men had been outnumbered and outpowered by the battle droids. Fortunately, they found cover behind a building. A dozen clones got on the roof, gaining the high ground. He’d known the advantage would not last long. 

His recon team had successfully found the location of the tactical droid. Obi-Wan had transmitted the coordinates to Anakin, waiting for him to finish the job. It should have been fairly simple since they already got this far. _Something unexpected must have happened._

As the clones had fought the battle droids, Obi-Wan had engaged in a vicious duel with a bold Dathomirian female wielding two red lightsabers. There was no doubt that she was a Darksider, but the feeling was different from his duel with the Darth Maul. She did not impose suffocating feelings in the Force, thus she was unlikely to be the Sith that Dooku disclosed. 

Obi-Wan and the Darksider fought on equal footing, but the clones had not been so lucky. He tried plan B, "negotiating" his way out. Before Obi-Wan surrendered his weapon, he demanded to know his opponent's name, and he got it.

Asajj Ventress. 

His lightsaber was taken away. Losing the second lightsaber in a month invoked a great deal of self-loath. The prison cell had a Holonet screen that broadcast separatist propaganda. It displayed the protests against the Jedi Order on Coruscant, with Dooku narrating it gleefully. Obi-Wan wondered how Palis felt now. 

His thoughts were interrupted by the thunderous sound of explosions. The noise went on and on. It wasn’t the snap bang of a grenade or the muffled whump of an artillery shell. 

Orbital bombardment. 

He explored the source using the Force. The attack was far away from his location, yet he still sensed tremendous pain, anguish, and death. 

The lights flickered and died. The droids guards collapsed on the ground like puppets with their strings cut. Obi-Wan waited in the darkness. Images of destruction invaded his mind through the Force. 

He waited in the darkness. He didn't know how much time had passed. Maybe a day, or longer.

A bright blue light lit up the corridor outside his cell. Footsteps approached, growing louder and louder. A figure turned the corner at the end of the hall. In the dim light, Obi-Wan could see it was Anakin, striding towards him with a glowing lightsaber. Obi-Wan's lightsaber. Several clone troopers flanked him. 

The glow reflected on Anakin's impeccable face. His focused eyes and sharp movement conveyed an eerie sense of serenity. The imagery reminded Obi-Wan of an ancient legendary figure, the _Destroying Angel_. 

Anakin stopped right in front of his cell. Clearly, he intended to liberate Obi-Wan with his own weapon.

"Anakin, put it down! It could cut off your arm!" Obi-Wan warned. "Just use the blaster to shoot the lock!"

To his relief, Anakin turned it off. However, the next moment he ignited it right in front of the lock, completely shattered it. The door hissed open. 

"Now give it back to me. It is dangerous,” Obi-Wan said sternly. “Don't be dramatic."

Anakin turned it off, and tossed it to Obi-Wan. " You are rescued, Master Kenobi. The separatist blockade is very much done. The majority of their fleet has already fled or are fleeing. Most of their ground forces have surrendered. Now we are cleaning up." He smiled triumphantly. He looked young and invincible. 

"Don't be prideful," Obi-Wan reminded the boy. "The battle is not done yet. We still need to get off of the planet in one piece. By the way, how did you defeat the lady with the two lightsabers? She is a Darksider." 

The clone troopers had taken their helmets off. Obi-Wan did not remember all their names yet, but he was trying. Anakin winked at one of the clones, with a big grin on his face. Obi-Wan was fairly certain he was Rex. 

"Sir,” Rex said, coming to attention, “the woman was guarding the entrance. She deflected our blaster shots and injured a few of our men. We were able to get closer to her and keep her busy. Lieutenant Commander Skywalker and Echo arrived in their starfighters. She couldn’t fight off attacks from above and on the ground. She dropped your lightsaber and ran."

"Coward," Anakin added distastefully. "No doubt a student of Dooku."

"Insightful, young man." Obi-Wan joked, then cleared his throat. "Time to return to the _Resolute_. Something went wrong. The opponent knew our moves. Besides, Admiral Yularen has a lot to explain about the orbital bombardment. It was not part of the plan."

"I asked him to," Anakin declared as he strode toward the exit. Obi-Wan was unimpressed. It was a decisive victory to be sure, but the collateral damage was concerning. Innocent people had lost their lives. It was not the Jedi way.

As if knowing what he was thinking about, Anakin stopped walking. He turned around and looked at him pensively. "People die one way or another. It is the way of war. Deal with it."

*** **4** ***

The protest in front of the Jedi Temple waged on and on. The Jedi Council made an announcement about Dooku. This statement didn't appease the protestors. They demanded that the Jedi and the Senate investigate this internal Sith threat. 

"You can't sweep it under the rug," angry people shouted. 

Rackeli yawned. After reading such news day after day, she grew irritated by both the protestors and the way that the Jedi Order responded. This was inefficient. Chancellor Palpatine and the Chair of the Senate Counter Intelligence Committee already announced that they would take this matter seriously, and promised an investigation. The Jedi Order only needed to say that they would do their part, then the chaos would stop. Instead, they insisted that the investigation of a Sith should be kept within the Jedi Order with no public interference.

They probably had a good reason, Rackeli would give them that. That journalist Red had written a few pieces on the topic that Jedi answered to the Senate only for diplomatic and peacekeeping missions. They stayed independent on internal affairs, such as how they practice their faith and anything to do with the Force, including how to deal with the Sith. She sensed that the way Jedi raising younglings must fall under the latter category.

Intellectually, she understood why the Order had its own way of operation. It was freedom of religion. She had ultimate respect for that. However, practically, she had to move the "Concerned parents v. Jedi Order" case forward. Her legal letter must have been sitting idly on some Jedi's desk while they were on the battlefront saving the Republic from collapsing. She wanted a solution to bring back the children swiftly. Then everyone could focus on their important matters.

An idea struck her. The battle of Christophsis was a tide-changing victory for the Republic. But there were heated debates about whether the orbital bombardment was necessary or even legal. Some media called for Anakin and Admiral Yularen to be tried for war crimes. She recalled that a navy captain named Tarkin had been the first person to come out in their defense. He claimed that desperate times call for desperate measures. The Christophsis planetary leaders and Senate majority stood firmly behind the orbital bombardment decision. The people who advocated for the charges were blamed for being unpatriotic and anti-Republican. 

Was the bombardment a war crime? Maybe yes, maybe no. But it became patriotism when it had the public opinion backing it up. 

Tomorrow she would attend the protests. She would no longer quietly stand outside the crowd, holding a small sign while waiting for powerful politicians.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Anakin is more argumentative than canon.   
> I would appreciate your comments, subscription, and bookmark. lol


	7. Treacherous Night

*** **1** ***

Anakin had returned from Christophsis a few days ago. Since then he had spent most of his time on the couch, sitting as quietly as a statue. He silently read his datapad, catching up with military reports and news that he had missed. He put a blanket on his lap to keep warm, which immediately became Imperius' favorite spot. She purred and took naps. He pet the cat, then focused on his datapad. 

Sometimes, he entered a meditative state. His thoughts returned again and again to the irregular things that had happened during the battle. Obi-Wan was perceptive. The Separatists had known their movements ahead of the time. When Anakin had arrived at the location of the tactical droid commander, a swarm of battle droids had closed in on them. The enemy had known the Republic forces were coming. It could have been a coincidence, but they had known _he_ was coming. They knew _Vader_.

Two IG-100 MagnaGuards had been deployed. They were designed specifically for fighting Force wielders, presumably the Jedi. Anakin had seen recordings from other battles. This type of droid usually targeted the Jedi and ignored the clones if they didn't stand in their way. It was possible that they had been sent there for Obi-Wan. But it didn't make sense that the two MagnaGurads went straight for him, a non-Jedi officer in a pilot’s uniform. He hadn't rebuilt his lightsaber yet. Even if he’d had his lightsaber, he wouldn't have brought it to a battle led by a Jedi general. Yet, the two droids had focused on him. The clone troopers had come to his defense. He immediately ordered their retreat.

Vader had known he could take on the two MagnaGuards if nobody was watching. He could have grabbed one of their force pikes and fought hand-to-hand. Without a lightsaber, though and still recovering from Geonosis, he had known it would be an uphill battle. Instead, he had contacted Yularen right away. They immediately agreed that an orbital attack would be the most efficient option, although the Admiral had had some concerns about the Jedi's reaction. 

"We are no Jedi. Do it," Anakin had insisted. 

Vader knew Dooku was behind the ambush. The traitor was determined to kill him. It was quite a surprise that Dooku hadn't exposed Sidious and Vader yet. He must have some sinister agenda. The situation was getting complicated and dangerous for the Sith. It was the most perilous situation when someone who knew all your secrets betrayed you. 

Now there were other traitors in the Republic military, working with the enemy. 

The clone army had been created by the Jedi, which was an original sin of the Grand Army of Republic. On the battlefield, Anakin appreciated Rex, Cody, and all the clone troopers. He liked their company. They were good men. He took an effort to remember their names, but Vader couldn't trust anything made by the Jedi.

He decided to focus on something more interesting. Rackeli had sent him an Holovideo, which he had already played multiple times. It was her speech at the Jedi Temple protests. The protest now featured diverse topics other than demanding a transparent investigation of the Sith--a topic that made Vader uneasy, but somehow his master liked it. 

The public's grievance against the Jedi seemed to be growing. People were angry at Jedi for commissioning an army without a Senate vote. They were angry at the Jedi’s poor leadership and resulting civilian casualties. Every day, the list of grievances grew longer. Anakin was delighted that people shared his point of view. They were finally seeing the truth of the Jedi hypocrisy. 

Rackeli's speech was interesting. Her accent was stronger than usual and Anakin supposed she was nervous. He’d always had the same problem. She made a few good points. No children's fate should be decided at birth. No child should be made to fight in a war. It was against the values of the Republic. She elaborated her points by relating to her own experience and family. What made him most impressed was that she used _his_ line but said it more eloquently.

“Every mother has the right to be reunited with their children, at any time, if they wish,” she said. “It is what freedom should be. It is what the Republic is about." 

It was quite a speech. If Anakin ever made the high command, he should hire her as his chief-of-staff, or at least press secretary. 

Palis, meanwhile, had penned an article to condemn the demonization of the Jedi Faith. Rackeli had fought back. The public's reaction was minimal. Not many people were interested in Jedi internal affairs. 

Neither was Palpatine. The last time they had spoken, Palpatine had scolded him for wasting time on such trivial things and missing out on the bigger picture. "How Jedi conduct their own business is not your concern. You are neglecting your duty and distracted by unfocused passion," his master had said.

Vader could not care less about the wellbeing of Jedi youth. They had been or were being indoctrinated into a life dedicated to killing him and his kind. Yet, deep down, he felt it was relevant to him, in some ways he didn't know how to put into words.

Vader had argued back that it was a part of the bigger plan. The lawsuit would make Jedi look bad. At that point in the conversation, Palpatine had utterly lost his patience, but Vader had managed to get conditional permission to continue assisting Rackeli so long as he delivered results for his _assignment on time._

Soon he would join Padme for dinner. He hadn’t had much of an appetite since his return. Padme made an observation that he was quiet and impassive. He was not making poor jokes or ranting about things, which was unusual. 

He didn't care about being usual or normal. His career was getting tougher. More battles were waiting for him. He thought about recruiting operatives to help him. There was just too much work. He couldn't do it alone.

*** **2** ***

The Senate formed a new committee to handle the supposed Sith infiltration. The Committee members had not decided on a name for the committee yet, but everyone was already calling it "Sith Hunt Group". 

Padme was invited to be on the committee because no world had more grievance towards the Sith than Naboo. Palpatine politely declined his own invitation to join the committee but promised that he would review reports of progress. 

Padme innately didn't want to "hunt down" anyone. During the committee meetings, she wandered into her memories to look for joy.

Palis's career in journalism came to a quick end. She was hired as a "Sith Hunt" investigator by the Senate because the Jedi Order could not spare a Knight to join them. Both sides thought Palis was in a perfect position to bridge the Order and the Senate. A big reason for Palis to accept the job was that Padme was on the committee. Friends stuck together in difficult times.

"I am basically back to the Order again. The only difference is that I have a salary," Palis joked. "It pays pretty well."

Despite the good salary, Palis called the committee "bantha shit," which surprised Padme. Anakin used the exact same phrase. It was ironic that their reasons were completely the opposite.

Palis briefed the Committee on the ancient Sith Empire history, philosophy, power source, and past crimes. There had been tons of horrendous atrocities. However, the politicians thought it was just another authoritarian regime characterized by infighting, corruption, and cruelty. From the sound of it, they were not so different from the Hutt clans. Palis complained that the politician didn't understand Sith, not even Padme.

" _Political interference_ on Jedi business really did nobody any good. The Master Windu was right about it," Palis protested.

In the meantime, Anakin had been deployed to several battles since Christophsis. Whenever he was back, he asked about the progress of the "bantha shit hunt." His face fell every time she told him the Committee had not yet been disbanded. 

"Another case of _Jedi meddling_ in politics, using their power and influence to hijack the Senate agenda," he hissed. "The way they recruit their younglings is problematic. Worse yet, they refuse to submit to outside inquiry. What a double standard!" 

Padme also learned that Anakin made a new friend, a Twi'lek lawyer about his age. Both of them were ambitious and relentless. Rackeli's stubbornness reminded her of her own opposition against the Military Creation Act. 

Palis remained a _Republic Chronicles_ column writer. She wrote “Jedi Business” section every few days. Rackeli was toe to toe with her, fighting with words. Anakin would never miss the fight no matter how limited his access to the HonoNet was.

Padme missed Anakin. Desperately. She looked for every trace of him when he was away. Anakin was very alive in these comments, similar to the daring warrior in the Holovideos taken by the drone. However, it was not always the case when he took a break on Coruscant. He could be very lively and playful one day, but solemn and robotic the second day. Padme found his HoloNet comments both reassuring and concerning. The three of them all passionately care about issues, similar issues, but they just ended up fighting.

After the Jedi children case was dismissed in court, Palis invited Padme out for a drink. Anakin announced that he would help Rackeli to introduce legislation to reform the Jedi Order. It gave Padme a good laugh, but it made Palis very nervous. 

"I will kill it the first day the petty bill is introduced," Palpatine reassured them when Padme came to him. "What a waste of time. They won't find a sponsor for such a thing." 

Since the Chancellor was against this idea, the bill was already dead on arrival. Palis said that she slept better knowing that. 

The war raged violently on. The Republic and the Separatists had their own victories and defeats. In comparison, the "Sith Hunt Committee" produced nothing, except hundreds of pages of reports compiled by Palis, filled with long quotes taken from Jedi history books. No one bothered to read them. Even Padme could barely make it through the first hundred pages. They were both too technical and too frightening. Palis even admitted as such.

To keep herself sane, Padme indulged herself with the little things about the people who she deeply cared about. Their joy, sorrow, anger, and conflicts. They weren't really funny but she clung to them. They kept her from drowning in despair during the dark time. 

Padme thought the committee would stay useless. However, she was wrong. 

They’d been at it for months when one member suggested that they switch gears. "We all agree that we are clueless about this Sith business, but we can't sit here wasting taxpayers' money," he said.

The whole conference room went quiet. 

"We can't identify the Sith, but we must identify the traitors in our ranks. There are several hundred of them. The investigation should focus on catching them."

The committee chair seconded him. "I move that we give this recommendation to the full Senate. There should be stronger monitoring on all senators and their staff members. Jedi read minds. Let them do the monitoring. Chancellor Palpatine has been waiting for our progress."

"No,” Padme shot to her feet. “That is unethical and unconstitutional, an egregious invasion of privacy and deprivation of liberty." 

"We are in a war. We can't be idealistic here. Don’t you feel the crimes committed by the Sith Empire egregious?” The senator gestured to Palis’ reports. “Things will return back to normal when we win. The longer the war drags on, the more liberty we will lose!" 

"By the way, if you are no traitor, why would you worry about monitoring?" another added.

Again, these senators conflated security and oppression. They had done the same thing when lobbying for the military bill. The committee voted to support the recommendation, winning with a large margin. A full Senate vote was pending.

Now this "Bantha Shit Hunt Committee" had a formal name. "UnRepublic Activities Control Committee." For a brief moment, she felt this may be a glimpse of how a Sith Empire looked like. Dooku was winning here. 

*** **3** ***

Obi-Wan had been musing about the leaking of the intel. After Christophsis, the irregular activities stopped, but it had started again in the recent battles. He started to create a list of suspects, while Anakin had his own theory. 

Anakin was most agitated by one thing. One person, to be precise. Asajj Ventress. The Dark Jedi.

Ventress followed them to almost every battle. She seemed to be very interested in Obi-Wan. They had fought multiple duels. They had given each other a couple burns, but neither had lost a limb. 

However, Anakin was convinced that she was after him.

"Master Kenobi, what makes you different from other Jedi? Are you on the Jedi Council? There were a few thousand Jedi out in the field. Why did she choose you as a target?" Anakin asked. "She was toying with you in that last fight. She didn't want to kill you."

"So, what is your point?" Obi-Wan raised an eyebrow.

"She wants to draw me out and kill me," Anakin spat. "I very much like to end her cowardly life myself, but I will not fall into a trap.

Obi-Wan was tempted to tell Anakin that he was arrogant beyond words if he genuinely believed that a powerful Sith assassin had been to handle him. Or maybe he was just insane. A junior officer with no trained Force abilities targeted by an assassin? It was definitely paranoia. 

Still, when he put more thought into it, Obi-Wan supposed it could be true. The death of the Chancellor's son would be a big blow to the Republic’s morale. After all, Anakin had already become a poster boy for Republic propaganda. Obi-Wan himself had gotten swept up in the media circus a few times himself. He had started to hear people call Anakin the "Hero with No Fear." To his surprise, Obi-wan got himself the title "Negotiator."

Nonetheless, either one of them being the special assignment of Dooku's assassin was unnerving.

"We used the traitor to draw her out, and end them both." Anakin made a throat-cutting gesture.

It was easier said than done. They started with identifying all the individuals who were assigned on the missions and tasks that had gone wrong. Each clone and officer was assigned a risk level based on how many times their names appeared on the list. 

Of course, the people with the highest scores were of course the leaders who made strategic decisions: Anakin, Obi-Wan, Rex, Cody, and Yularen. The second highest risk group were individuals who worked closely with the leaders. The list was pretty long with dozens of names.

They interviewed each one, collecting alibis and evidence. They also analyzed who was put into danger by these intel leaks. Presumably, the spy had no interest in killing themselves. Obi-Wan refused to let Anakin interview anyone alone. The young man was in an irritated mood, small things could draw ire from him. 

"May I remind you, anger is destructive," Obi-wan found himself repeating for the fourth time that afternoon.

"We are interrogating suspects, not chatting over drinks. The spy will make errors and reveal themselves under pressure!" Anakin protested. 

"This is different from investigating the Separatist operatives we captured. They were our own men. We are asking their assistance in revealing the identity of the suspicious person, "Obi-Wan explained as patiently as he could. "People are more willing to talk when treated with gentleness. Fear paralyzes." 

"They are soldiers! I am not going to babysit."

Obi-Wan realized that they indeed had some major differences in their beliefs of how people functioned. It was more than a temperament issue. He wished he could help Anakin see the world in a more positive and tender way. The Jedi pursued peace and serenity, not just for themselves, but for people who were around them as well. There were so many misguided souls.

Fortunately, they reached a compromise. They would each play to their specialties. Anakin would be the bad cop, and Obi-Wan the good. They managed to exclude some individuals from the suspect list but still couldn't identify the spy.

"Commander, I would like to tell you more, but I don't remember everything," Clone Trooper Stormy mumbled.

"Master Jedi, do something to help him remember. " Anakin slammed his hand on the desk. "Use some Jedi tricks."

Obi-Wan handed a cup of tea to the trooper. "How about having some calming beverage instead?" 

The clone relaxed and spoke. "A few nights ago, I heard some muffled sounds in the cargo zone 2. I didn’t think much of it.” Stormy blushed. “Brothers have basic needs after all."

"Who are they? Do you know?" Obi-Wan inserted some weight into his voice.

"I believe one is Slick. I don't know who the other person is though." The trooper shifted nervously. "I don't mean to get anyone into trouble. Having sex isn't against regulation, sir."

"Zone 2. Strange interpersonal activities. I wrote it down." Anakin shook his head and sighed dramatically. "Great trick, Master Kenobi" 

"Commander Skywalker, I need a few words with you," Yularen called in. "Report to the Bridge."

Anakin looked defeated and left the interview room reluctantly. Interestingly, Obi-Wan sensed a hint of relief from him in addition to disappointment.

A few minutes later, Yularen joined Obi-Wan. Anakin was nowhere to see.

"I gave Skywalker some professional guidance on interrogation. Now he had some errands to run. We shall proceed, " Yularen said confidently.

Now Obi-Wan vaguely recalled that the Admiral had worked in a Republic intelligence unit on Coruscant. From the way Yularen carried himself, he was indeed an experienced professional.

Obi-Wan blamed himself for ignoring this detail, which had resulted in him being stuck in these investigations with a firecracker and a complete lack of any real progress. 

A few minutes later, Anakin's voice was on the shipwide broadcasting system, announcing an emergency gathering for all personnel to report to the bridge. 

What the hell was going on? Obi-Wan looked sharply at Yularen but the man wore a sabacc face.

"The traitor had been identified," Anakin declared icely once they’d all arrived. "CT-756, Captain Rex, you are under arrest." He went straight to Rex and handcuffed him. 

Rex was in total horror. "Sir, it was not me! Something is wrong!"

Some clones froze with disbelief. The room was saturated with fear and anger. While Anakin harshly pushed Rex toward the brig, Yaluren scanned the whole group with narrowed eyes. Obi-Wan sensed a different emotion from one of them. Even though his face was impassive, he radiated relief. 

It was Slick. 

"Set course on Ryloth. All of you return to post," Yularen announced. Then the two of them walked to the briefing room in silence.

"This is a set up. You two know it was Slick, not Rex, right?" Obi-Wan said dramatically. "Very traumatic for Rex. It is quite ruthless"

"But it works." Anakin had been waiting for them in the room. "He is a good soldier. He will understand." 

"I am surprised that you chose Rex to be the bait," Yularen casually commented. 

"I trusted that he is least likely to be the traitor. His reaction would be most authentic, thus, powerful." Anakin looked outside the window.

"So you two had been plotting this from the beginning. You kept me in the dark." Obi-Wan rubbed his temple. "Anakin, I didn’t realize you were such a talented actor." Irritation was rising in him. He felt like a fool.

"I didn't try to trick you! I honestly believed I could find the suspect, in _my_ way," Anakin yelled at him. "The Admiral was quicker, more skilled than me." 

"Skywalker made noises, stirred up anxiety, and drew attention to himself. It gave me easy access to information. It was not acting. He thought I was a backup plan. He still has a lot more to learn." Yaluren looked at the young man almost fatherly, which stirred up some feelings inside Obi-Wan. Despite Anakin's frequent heated arguments with the Admiral, sometimes he behaved

like a humble student. He didn't know Anakin had this side. More accurately, Anakin never showed this side to him.

Officially Obi-wan was the top commanding officer of the fleet, but his deputy and the Admiral had more comradery between the two of them. A word came to his mind, "invisible", which he heard Palis complained about several times before. Yet, he never understood. Now he started to miss her. 

He brushed these emotions aside.

"You got Stormy to talk. It was useful.” Anakin calmed down. “We know where to look. Zone 2. Slick will contact Ventress or whoever his handler is." 

"He is a pretty good spy though. I didn't think he was particularly suspicious. After we are done with Ventress, I will publicly execute him for treason myself,” Anakin snarled. “We need to set an example." 

Obi-Wan flinched. "You still need evidence." Death penalty for treason was common practice on the battlefield. However, Anakin being reveled in using fear to command was chilly.

"He will talk. I will see to it," Anakin said coolly. 

*** **4** ***

Obi-Wan, Yularen, and Anakin waited in the monitoring room. None of them spoke. They had already set up cameras that covered all the places that Slick could show up.

Anakin was losing patience. He wanted to end this shitshow and bring justice to the traitor swiftly. Also, he didn't like the idea of leaving Rex in the brig for too long. Palpatine would scold him for being too weak and cultivating useless attachment. Jedi and Sith agreed upon almost nothing but shared a common distaste for attachment. Except the Sith was okay with some attachment. Anakin still wasn’t entirely sure what made one attachment a strength and another a weakness, but he deferred to his master's wisdom.

To kill time, he pulled out his datapad and started to draw Padme. He missed her badly. 

He was in the middle of drawing her cuddling with lmperius when Obi-Wan broke the silence.

"Slick just left his quarters."

Slick arrived at the storage room in zone 2 first, then a female naval officer rendezvoused with him.

"Are we watching pornography here?" Anakin went back to his drawing. "You two let me know when they start to talk."

Strangely, they didn't speak even one word, then the woman left. They didn't exchange any items that could contain information either.

"It seems that they were only interested in pleasuring each other," Yularen said nonchalantly. 

"His lover could be an excellent justification and provide false testimony unknowingly, if someone found out about these suspicious activities, like Stormy did. Very cunning," Obi-Wan said, thoughtfully stroking his beard.

This comment made Anakin self-conscious. He deleted his half-finished drawing and put down the datapad. It reminded him of Palpatine's comments on his relationship with Padme. If she found out _what_ he was, would she feel about their relationship in the same way? 

"The main course starts now." 

Slick took out a commlink, which was different from the type issued to clone troopers. They zoomed in the video. Ventress' blue figure popped up as the Holocall went through. 

Anakin inhaled sharply. He didn't know which one angered him more, this traitor plotting with Ventress or using a naval woman as a tool.

"The _Resolute_ command believed Rex to be the spy. It was surprising. Yularen may have noticed me," Slick said quickly. "They may go after me soon. Skywalker was paranoid." 

Anakin cursed internally. He would choke the life out of the traitor if the situation allowed.

"They were heading to Ryloth. The specifics have not been revealed yet. I will contact you again when we land." Then he severed the connection.

"Our mission was halfway done now," Obi-Wan commented. "Now it is up to me to capture Ventress. Anakin, you go after Slick when he is on the ground."

"No, I will go with you and fight her." 

"Are you insane? She is a Darksider. You can't always be lucky." 

"I can handle myself." He ignited the force pike that he brought along. "This will do." 

Capturing Ventress was not enough, she must be neutralized.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Vader's career stress is quite high lol.


End file.
